TAMARISK. 



TAMARIX. 



TAMARlCINEfi, PENTANDRIA TRIGYNIA. 



The French Tamarisk, Taviarix Gallica, is a na- 

 tive of many parts of Europe, of Barbary, Japan, &c. 

 and naturally grows to a middle-sized tree; here it is 

 seldom more than fifteen or sixteen feet high. The bark 

 is dark brown ; the leaves are very narrow, smooth, and 

 bright green ; the flowers are produced in taper spikes 

 at the ends of the branches, several growing on one 

 branch ; they are about an inch long ; the flowers of 

 which they are composed are very small, and closely 

 set ; they are of a pale flesh-colour, enlivened by the 

 anthers of bright red ; they open in July. 



This is an elegant tree, growing generally on the 

 banks of rivers. Dr. Smith observed it growing abun- 

 dantly in the hedges in Italy, near to the sea; and re- 

 marked that the sheep preferred it to any other food', 

 and would touch nothing else while that remained. It 

 has been found wild in some parts of England. 



The Tartars and Russians make whip-handles of the 

 wood. 



The German Tamarisk, Tamarix Gerimnlca, has 

 many stalks growing from the root ; the foliage is more 

 of a grey colour than that of the French Tamarisk ; the 

 bark is first a pale green, and then turns to yellow ; the 

 flowers are larger than the former, and not so close set. 

 It is a native of many parts of Europe. It was first 



