Casuarina equisetifolia (Filao) is an evergreen tree growing to 6-15m tall found on sandy shores, pinelands, disturbed sites, filled wetlands, road shoulders and c

leared land, . It is also grown all around in the beaches of Mauritius for erosion prevention, and in general as wind

breaking elements.

A very beautiful tree having tiny flowers and the fruit looks like cones. The fruit color

is brown, with a small round and cone like fruits. The flowers are produced in small catkin like inflorescences, the male flowers in simple spikes long, the female flowers on short peduncles .Its unisexual flowers are tiny, wind pollinated and brown in color.

Unlike most other species of casuarina it is monoecious with male and female flowers produced on the same tree.