11. TAMARASClNEiE. 



[Tamark. 



OnDEE 11. TAMARASCINE^. 



Shrubs, bushes or small trees. Leaves scale-like, imbricating^ 

 Flowers racemose or paniculate, re^ular^ bisexual. Sepals 5, free or 

 connate at the base. Petals 5, free or united in a tube, imbricate. 

 Stamens 5-10 or many, free or connate, inserted on a lobed disk, with 

 10 glands. Ovary syncarpous ; styles 2-5^ free or connate or stigmas 

 3-5, setsile ; ovules numerous. Seeds crested, winged or covered with 

 down. Albumen 0, or small ; embryo straight. 



TAMARIX, Linn. 



Bushes or small trees. Flowers white or red. Sepals and petals 

 free. Stamens 5-10, free or connected at the base only. Ovary l-called ; 

 Styles 3-d', short, thick ; ovules at bottom of the ovary. Seeds smooth, 

 with a long coma ; albumen 0. 



stamens 5 : 



Flowers in large panicles 1. T. gallica. 



Flowers in close cylindrical spikes 2. T, dioica. 



Flowers in interrupted spikes 3. T, articulata. 



Stamens 10 ; 



Leaves not punctate, sheathing amplexicaul... 4. T, ericoides. 



Leaves punctate, closely sheathing 5. T. stricta. 



1. T. gallica. Linn. Fl. Br. 1. 1. 248 ; Brandis For. Fl. 20 ; Bedd. Fl. 

 Sylv. 20. Lei, lai, jhaw, Sind. The Tamarisk. 



Throughout India, from the Punjab and Sind to Burma and 

 southwards to Oeylon ; it also is found along the west and south shores 

 of Europe, Africa, Siberia, China and Japan. In India it is mostly found 

 along the banks of rivers and near the sea-coast, where it grows grega- 

 riously, often associated with Salvadora, on salt-impregnated soil. I have 

 never found it in North K^nara or Belgaum. Wood open, coarse-grained, 

 useful for f ael. The astringent-galls are used as a mordant in dying ; 

 also for tanning and in medicine. The wood is in great demand as fuel 

 for the steamers on the River Indus ; it is also converted into agricultural 

 implements in Sind. Fl. July- Aug. Frait ripe Dec. -Feb. 



2. T. dioica, Roxb. Hort. Beng. 22 ; Fl. Br. I. 1. 249 ; Brandis For. 

 Fl. 21 ; Bedd. Fl. Syly. 20. Gaz, Idojau, Sind. 



From Sind to Assam, Western Peninsula and Burma. Near rivers 

 and near the sea-coast; abundant on the Hoogly in Bengal. Forms ex- 

 tensive forests along the Indus. Fl. May-July. Fr. 0. S. 



The new alluvium along the river banks is covered in early spring 

 with a dense growth of Tamarisk seedlings mixed with Fopulus eui^lira- 

 tica, and babul. T. dioioa, being more abundant in these forests than 

 T. gallica. Wood white, loose-grained — aa important fuel. 



3. T. articulata, Vabl. Symb, II. 48. t. 32 ; Fl. Br. I. 1. 249 ; Bran- 

 die For. Fl. 22 ; Bedd. Fl. Sylv. 2 j. Asreli, Sind. ; Lxl jhaii, H. 



