The Craig Bowden Endemic Flora Trail – Sheoak
Common name: Sheoak
Indigenous name: Kulli/Gulli/Condil
Scientific name: Allocasuarina fraseriana
Conservation status: Not Threatened
Key features: Erect tree 5-15m high, bark fibrous reddish-brown. It has slender green branchlets, or needles. Flowers: Small red, spiky male and female flowers appear in separate trees (May to Oct). Male trees have small brown flower spikes at the end of branchlets, giving them a rusty-brown hue in late winter and early spring. The female trees bear small flowers on short branchlets of their own. Fertilized flowers develop small egg-shaped cones appear after the flowers.
Disclaimer: The following information has been collected from third party educational reference sources that were in themselves accumulated from a range of sources, including personal knowledge passed on by Indigenous elders. Although best endeavours have been made to produce an accurate account of the uses of this plant for both food and medicinal purposes, there is no claim as to the accuracy of this information. As such, we accept no responsibility for any inaccurate information and recommend that people wishing to collect or cultivate this plant for food or medicinal purposes for themselves, family or friends, should consult with elders and traditional healers who have knowledge of the plants in their area before doing so.
Traditional / Indigenous uses: Bedding construction (needles covered with kangaroo skins). Food source (eating the young cones). The leaves of all eucalypts were used for: antibacterial (crushed leaves), relief for sinus congestion (vapours from crushed or steamed leaves), ointment for sores (ground gum). A vital tree to Noongar people’s spirituality and social and emotional wellbeing. They would sit under the tree listening to the breeze blowing through the foliage (belief that these sounds were spirits of the old people talking to them). This was also used to help them fall asleep. Another spiritual belief was that needles which fell onto their face were the tears of healing from the ancestors. Noongar women often gave birth under the Sheoak because of the softness of the needles.
Modern uses: Furniture and artistic timber work. Oils from eucalypt species contain 1,8-cineole (eucalyptol) which has antibacterial, cough suppressant, expectorant, nasal decongestant and respiratory anti-inflammatory properties. Other constituents of the oils have strong to mild antibacterial and some antifungal properties.
References
WA government dbca
https://florabase.dbca.wa.gov.au/browse/profile/1728
Traditional/ Indigenous uses information:
Noongar Bush Tucker: Bush Food Plants and Fungi of the South-West of W – UWA Publishing
Noongar Bush Medicine: Medicinal Plants of the South-west of Western A – UWA Publishing
This information was reviewed and certified by Christine Coyne & Associates (Aboriginal representative/advisor)