Casuarina equisetifolia

Scientific name: Casuarina equisetifolia L.

Family: Casuarinaceae

Synonym: Casuarina littorea L.

Bengali/Vernacular name: Jhau, Belatijhau (Bengali); Hari (Cox’s Bazar-Teknaf).

Tribal name: Pogon gach (Chakma), Ping lang si (Murang), Paen-hla-bawn (Rakhaing).

English name: Beefwood, Casuarina, Australian pine, Sheoak, Ironwood.

Description of the plant: A spreading tree, up to 50 m tall or more, branches long, slender, cylindrical, jointed or grooved, internodes 3-8 mm long, 7-ridged with the same number of scale-leaves at the nodal region. Flowers unisexual, monoecious or dioecious; males in terminal spikes, females in ovoid or globose heads. Cones elliptic formed of woody bracts enclosing the mature fruits.

Plant parts used: Bark.

Medicinal uses: Bark extract used as a remedy for diarrhoea and dysentery and to help relieve a sore throat.

Infusion of bark is taken in stomachache and constipation.

Distribution: It is found in Dhaka, Cox’s Bazar, Jessore, coastal areas of Bangladesh and planted elsewhere.

Is this plant misidentified? If yes, please tell us….