Flora of North America species comparison

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Tamarix aphylla

Tamaricaceae

athel, athel tamarisk, saltcedar, tamarisk, tamarix

tamarisk family, tamarix family
Habit Trees, to 10+ m. Shrubs or trees [subshrubs], usually halophytes, rheophytes, or xerophytes.
Leaves

sheathing;

blade abruptly pointed, 2 mm.

alternate, scalelike [subulate], small;

stipules absent.
Inflorescences

3–6 cm × 4–5 mm;

bract exceeding pedicel, not reaching calyx tip.

simple or compound racemes usually equal or more in number to petals, distinct [connate basally or fasciculate], often attached to fleshy nectar disc;

pistil (2–)3–4(–5)-carpellate;

ovary 1-locular, sometimes almost plurilocular, ovules 2+ per placenta, anatropous, bitegmic;

placentation parietal, basal, or parietal-basal;

styles [2–]3–4[–5] [absent, stigmas sessile].
Flowers

5-merous;

sepals 1–1.5 mm, margins entire;

petals oblong to elliptic, 2–2.5 mm; antisepalous stamens 5, filaments alternate with nectar disc lobes, all originating from edge of disc.

Fruits

capsular, dehiscence loculicidal.
Seeds

comose at one end [hairy overall];

embryo straight;

endosperm absent [scanty, starchy]; thin perisperm often present.
2n

= 24.

Tamarix aphylla

Tamaricaceae
Phenology Flowering late summer–early winter.
Habitat Lakeshores, riverways, sandy soil
Elevation 0–600 m (0–2000 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
AZ; CA; NV; TX; UT; sw Asia; n Africa [Introduced in North America; introduced also in Mexico (Baja California, Coahuila), Australia]
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Europe; Asia; Africa; especially from Mediterranean to c Asia [Introduced in North America]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Tamarix aphylla forms hybrids (rarely) with T. ramosissima and T. chinensis.

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)

Genera 4, species ca. 78 (1 genus, 8 species in the flora).

Tamaricaceae have traditionally been placed in the Violales, but recent analyses of molecular sequence data place the family within the Caryophyllales of the core eudicots. Frankeniaceae has retained its place as sister family to Tamaricaceae, sharing similarities in many characters, including secondary chemistry and salt gland structure.

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
Source FNA vol. 6, p. 416. FNA vol. 6, p. 413. Author: John F. Gaskin.
Parent taxa Tamaricaceae > Tamarix
Sibling taxa
T. africana, T. canariensis, T. chinensis, T. gallica, T. parviflora, T. ramosissima, T. tetragyna
Subordinate taxa
Synonyms Thuja aphylla
Name authority (Linnaeus) H. Karsten: Deut. Fl., 641. (1882) Link
Web links 
Unless otherwise noted, all data comes from the online version of the Flora of North America, who have made most of their content available via a Creative Commons license (CC BY 4.0).



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