458 ARBORETUM ET FRUTICETUM BRITANNICUM. 
Ta'Marix. Stamens 4—5. Hairs on the seeds simple. 
Myrica‘r1a. Stamens 10. Hairs on the seeds feathery. 
Genus I. 
lal 
TA'MARIX Desv. Tue Tamarisk. Lin. Syst. Pentdndria Trigynia. 
Identification. Desv. Ann. Sc. Nat., 4. P; 348.; Dec. Prod., 3. p. 95.; Don’s Mill., 2p: 725. 
Synonymes. The species of Témarix of authors that have 4 stamens and 5 stamens ; Tamaris, Fr. ; 
Tamarisken, Ger. ; Tamarice, Ital. 
Derivation. So called, according to some, from the plants growing on the banks of the river Tama- 
ras, now Tambra, on the borders of the Pyrenees ; or, according to others, from the Hebrew 
word ¢amar‘s, cleansing, on account of their branches being used for brooms. 
Gen. Char. Calyx 4—5-parted. Petals 4—5. Stamens 4—5, alternating with 
the petals, almost free. Ovarium tapering to the apex. Stigmas 3, long, 
divaricate, glandular, and oblique at the apex. Seeds erect, inserted nearly 
at the base of the valves; tufted ; tuft composed of numerous simple hairs 
arising from the apex. (Don’s Mill.) 
Leaves simple, alternate, exstipulate, deciduous or sub-evergreen ; linear, 
stem-clasping, very small; adult ones diaphanous at the apex. Flowers 
in spikes, and usually disposed in panicles, small, red, seldom white. 
Tall shrubs, natives of Europe, the North of Africa, and the West of Asia ; 
sub-evergreen in British. gardens ; and highly valuable, as standing the sea 
breeze in situations where few other ligneous plants, and no other flowering 
shrubs, will grow. The whole plant is very bitter, and the young shoots were 
formerly employed as a tonic, and as a substitute for hops in brewing beer. 
x a 1. T.ca‘Luica L. The French Tamarisk. 
Identification, Lin. Sp., 386. ; Mill, Ic.; Dec. Prod., 3. p. 96.3; Don’s Mill., 2. p. 726. 
Synonymes. _T. narbonénsis Lob. Ic. 2. t.218.; Tamartscus gallicus A.; Tamariscus pentandrus 
Lam. Fi. Fr., not of Pall. ; Mirice, Ital. 
Engravings. N.Du Ham., vol. vii. t. 59.; and our fig. 819. 
Spec. Char., §c. Glabrous, glaucous. Leaves minute, clasping the 
stem or branch, adpressed, acute. Spikes of flowers lateral, 
somewhat panicled, slender, 5 times longer than broad. (Dec. 
Prod.) A sub-evergreen shrub, frequent in sandy places in 
the middle and South of Europe, and in the South of England. 
Height 5 ft. to 10 ft., sometimes twice that height. Flowers 
pinkish ; May to October. Wy 
Varieties. In the Linnea, 2. p. 267., 6 varieties are described, for 
which we refer to our first edition, as the plants are not in cul- 
tivation in Britain, and indeed appear to us not worth keeping distinct. 
T. gallica prefers a deep, free, sandy soil ; and will only attain a large size 
when it is in such a soil, and supplied with moisture from the proximity of some 
river, or other source of water. It is valuable as thriving on the sea shore, where 
few other shrubs will grow; as being sub-evergreen; and as flowering late in 
the season, and for several months together. It is readily propagated by cut- 
tings, planted in autumn, in a sandy soil, with a northern exposure. In 
favourable situations in France and the South of Europe, it grows to the 
height of 15 or 20 feet ; and there are instances, both in Britain and on the 
Continent, of its growing as high as 30 ft., and this, we suppose, has given rise 
to the alleged variety, 7’ g. arborea. In the South of Russia, and in Tartary, 
the species assumes a great variety of forms according to the soil and situa 
tion ; the tops of the dwarf plants are there eaten by sheep, and the stems of 
the larger ones used as handles for whips. 
4 ee 
819. T. gallica. 
