Flora of North America species comparison

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Tamarix aphylla

Tamarix chinensis

athel, athel tamarisk, saltcedar, tamarisk, tamarix

Chinese tamarisk, five-stamen saltcedar, five-stamen tamarisk, saltcedar
Habit Trees, to 10+ m. Leaves sheathing; blade abruptly pointed, 2 mm. Shrubs or trees, to 8 m. Leaves: blade lanceolate to ovate-lanceolate, 1.5–3 mm.
Inflorescences

3–6 cm × 4–5 mm;

bract exceeding pedicel, not reaching calyx tip.

2–6 cm × 5–7 mm;

bract reaching or exceeding pedicel, not exceeding calyx tip.
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.

5-merous;

sepals 0.5–1.5 mm, margins entire;

petals elliptic to ovate, 1.5–2 mm; antisepalous stamens 5, filaments alternate with nectar disc lobes, some or all originating from below disc.
2n

= 24.

= 24.

Tamarix aphylla

Tamarix chinensis
Phenology Flowering late summer–early winter. Flowering early spring–fall.
Habitat Lakeshores, riverways, sandy soil Riverways, lakeshores, arroyos
Elevation 0–600 m (0–2000 ft) 0–2500 m (0–8200 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]
from FNA
AZ; CA; CO; ID; MT; NM; NV; OK; TX; UT; WY; e Asia [Introduced in North America; introduced also in South America (Argentina)]
[WildflowerSearch map]
[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.)

Tamarix chinensis, morphologically very similar to T. ramosissima, hybridizes with T. ramosissima (commonly) and T. aphylla (rarely).

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
Source FNA vol. 6, p. 416. FNA vol. 6, p. 416.
Parent taxa Tamaricaceae > Tamarix Tamaricaceae > Tamarix
Sibling taxa
T. africana, T. canariensis, T. chinensis, T. gallica, T. parviflora, T. ramosissima, T. tetragyna
T. africana, T. aphylla, T. canariensis, T. gallica, T. parviflora, T. ramosissima, T. tetragyna
Synonyms Thuja aphylla T. juniperina
Name authority (Linnaeus) H. Karsten: Deut. Fl., 641. (1882) Loureiro: Fl. Cochinch. 1: 182. (1790)
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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