Thread: Casuarina cristata or pauper ???

Pauper is considered a subspecies of Cristata, probably because it's a poorer looking speciman. Cristata is commonly referred to as Belah.

Belah is hard - like most Casuarinas and makes good firwood as, like all casuarinas, it burns withe very hot flame and little ash is left.

The timber is rather attractive due to the medullary rays but finding large pieces is impossible due to the size of the tree and the fact that the timber splits readilly if great care is not taken when drying it.

Originally Posted by artme

The timber is rather attractive due to the medullary rays

Belah and Black Oak have no visible rays

Those pics are too lousy to tell anything and there's very little difference between the 2 anyway. It would take more than photo's to ID them properly.

You are both right!!

I don't know why I put medullary rays Forgetful moment?? I meant Lacey pattern' like the stuff that we referred to as Belah out in western NSW>

Thanks everyone. I think density may be the easiest way to tell the difference.

Originally Posted by Runge

Thanks everyone. I think density may be the easiest way to tell the difference.

Don't know about that mate. According to my reading you need to get hold of the fruit and count the seed pods..

Wot the others have said. I doubt anyone could tell the difference between the woods. Density is not a reliable guide - there is always a fair amount of variation within species, as I'm sure you'd know, seeing as you are passionate about dense woods.

Belah is one tough wood, and hard to dry in larger pieces, though thin, marquetry dimensions might be easier. I've used it a bit for making wooden screws, which it excels at - more like threading iron than wood.

Since I have only used wood from maybe 1/2 dozen different trees at most, I don't claim any vast knowledge of it, but all the bits I've seen (from different parts of the country) had a small amount of blackish heartwood, which quickly grades to a featureless, pale-brown outer wood. The medullary rays are imperceptible to the naked eye - most unusual in the Casaurina/Allocasaurina clan!

Cheers,
Cheers,