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Aegiceras corniculatum is a mangrove species – growing as a shrub or small tree up to 7 metres high (but typically about 3 metres or so).
It grows in a patchy distribution along the entirety of the NSW coast, as well as the coast of Qld, NT and the top half of WA. It extends into New Guinea and south-east Asia.
It is found in brackish estuaries and some fresh water rives.
Aegiceras spp. have simple and alternate leaves. This helps distinguish it from the Grey Mangrove (Avicennia marina) which often grows alongside it in salty water, which has opposite leaves. In this species, they are to 10 cm long and 5 cm wide, mid-green in colour, elliptic to obovate. The leaves are leathery and minutely dotted and hence resistant to insect attack.
Aegiceras spp. produces 5-merous flowers in umbels or racemes. There are 5 sepals, 5 petals and 5 stamens with 3 carpels. In this species, small, white flowers are produced as umbellate clusters of 10 to 30, somewhat fragrant.
The fruit is curved and cylindrical or horn-shaped, light green to pink in colour as it ripens; to 75 mm long. The seeds are about 5 cm long. Some seeds germinate on the parent plant – before dropping to the ground, a process known as vivipory. (Any snake that is classed a ‘viper’ gives birth to live young).
This plant attracts many moths.
It is a species unlikely to be propagated for gardens as it is found in the tidal zone.
However, attempts could be made from seed if you have a boggy soil. It would need regular watering.
Unknown but likely from seed.
Aegiceras corniculatum extract has analgesic properties which supports a fight against diabetes. A. corniculatum does not produce the pneumataphore-roots like Avicennia marina. Interestingly, the two species are not related, despite growing together in the same habitat.
Not usually prone to burn in fire as it grows in the tidal zone. There were reports that some mangrove areas were burnt in the 2019-2020 Black Summer Bushfires. It is not known how they might respond.
Aegiceras is a genus of just two species, occurring from South-East Asia, through Malesia, Australia and the Pcific Islands. NSW has this one species only.
Aegiceras – from the Ancient Greek aegi (pertaining to “shield” as well as “goat”) and ceras (“horn”), referring to fruits of the species resembling goat horns.
corniculatum – Latin – meaning “possessing horns”, also referring to the shape of the fruit.
This species is not considered to be at risk of extinction in the wild.
NSW Flora Online (PlantNET) – Aegiceras corniculatum profile page https://plantnet.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au/cgi-bin/NSWfl.pl?page=nswfl&lvl=sp&name=Aegiceras~corniculatum
Queensland Government – Department of Agriculture and Fisheries – River Mangrove profile page. https://www.daf.qld.gov.au/business-priorities/fisheries/habitats/marine-plants-including-mangroves/common-mangroves/river-mangrove
Mangrove – Aegiceras corniculatum profile page
http://www.mangrove.at/neu/aegiceras-corniculatum_river-mangrove.html