Stands of belah occur in a number of regolith-landform settings around Fowlers Gap, often associated with rosewood (Alectryon oleifolius) in areas of higher relief. Belahs occur along the mid-sections of local drainage courses intermediate to river red gums (occuring in the lower sections of drainage courses) and prickly wattles (occurring in the upper sections of drainage courses). Belahs also occur together with rosewoods along the free-draining colluvial footslopes of ridges in the Adelaidean bedrock. There is some confusion regarding the Latin name of this tree, with Moore calling it C. cristata, whilst Kutsche and Lay call it C. pauper (as does Keith). Similarly, one of the common names - bulloak - can be confused with the buloke (Allocasuarina luehmannii), which occurs in eastern New South Wales (Keith). Cunningham et al. describe C. cristata and C. pauper as subspecies, C. pauper being a smaller tree of more gaunt appearance with short, ascending branches.

C. crisata or C. pauper aside, belahs are variable-sized trees.

Bark: dark grey with slender striated and jointed branchlets.
Leaves: actually branchlets (Casuarinas do not have leaves), are slender, striated and jointed, 1-2 mm in diameter, with sections of approximately 10 mm long that are easily separated. Branchlets may be bushy or upright. Branchlet sections have 9-12 pointed crowns separating each section.
Flowers: trees are monoecious, male flowers occuring on slender spikes at the ends of branchlets and female flowers clustered in heads along slender branches.
Fruit: woody cones about 20 mm long with several rows of spiked valves containing winged seeds.
Sources: Frank Kutsche and Brendan Lay (2003). Field guide to the plants of outback South Australia. Department of Water, Land and Biodiversity Conservation, South Australia, ISBN 0 7590 1052 8.
G.M. Cunningham, W.E. Mulham, P.L. Milthorpe and J.H. Leigh (1992). Plants of western New South Wales. Inkata PRess, Melbourne, ISBN 0 409 30687 8.
David Keith (2004). Ocean shore to desert dunes: the native vegetation of New South Wales and the ACT. NSW Department of Environment and Conservation. ISBN 0 7313 6780 4.
Photo: Ian Roach

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