THALAMIFLOR^ 145 



Tamarisk group yield sulphate of soda when burnt. 

 They also yield galls. There are some species that 

 have astringent properties. Dyes are also afforded 

 by some of the plants of this group. Medicinal 

 properties are even attributed to some of the species. 



Tamarisk {Tamarix gallica). 



It is doubtful if this plant is a native of this 

 country, for it is largely planted, and occurs on the 

 south and east coasts of England and in the Channel 

 Islands. It is frequent in the Mediterranean region, 

 where it is maritime. It is also found on the Atlantic 

 coast of France and Spain. 



Where naturalised in England it grows on the 

 coast, on sandy and marshy sea-shores. It forms a 

 protection to the coast, serving the same purpose as 

 Sea Buckthorn, Dwarf Willow, and the sand-binding 

 grasses such as Marram and Lyme Grass. An ever- 

 green shrub, the plant has a feathery appearance 

 from the arrangement of the slender branches, which 

 are leafy, erect, or slightly drooping at the tip. The 

 leaves are very small, smooth, acute, closely over- 

 lapping, or pressed to the stem, scale-like, triangular, 

 keeled, or spurred, auricled, narrowed below. The 

 leaves on the older wood are larger and awl-like. 



The flowers are small, pink, crowded, on an acutely 

 five-angled disc, narrowed into the filaments, in 

 axillary, blunt, catkin-like spikes, or forming branch- 

 ing, terminal panicles. The sepals are lance-shaped. 



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