Tamarisk Family
Tamarix
Identification notes: An important character is the staminal disk; three terms are used. In hololophic disks, the lobe between each stamen is obvious and separate from the stamens on either side, and each is usually 2-lobed. In paralophic disks, each lobe is deeply bipartite, and each half-lobe is fused to the base of the adjacent stamen, but is still somewhat distinct from it. In synlophic disks, the lobes are also deeply bipartite, but each half-lobe is fused confluently with the stamen base, giving the appearance that the filament has swollen base.1 Flowers 4-merous.
2 Petals 1.5-2.5mm long; bracts subtending pedicels diaphanous; young growth completely glabrous ........................................ T. parviflora
2 Petals 3.5-5mm long; bracts subtending pedicels herbaceous; young growth (especially bracts and raceme axis) papillose .....T. tetragyna
1 Flowers 5-merous.
3 Racemes 5-10mm wide.
4 Bracts of the raceme linear to linear oblong, about equaling the pedicel; disk hololophic; young growth glabrous ................. T. chinensis
4 Bracts of the raceme lanceloate to ovate, exceeding the pedicel; disk synlophic, paralophic, or hololophic; young growth glabrous
or papillose.
5 Young growth glabrous (except sometimes papillose on raceme axis); disk synlophic; flowers with 5 antesepalous stamens and 0
antepetalous stamens ................................................................................................................................................................ T. africana
5 Young growth papillose; disk hololophic to paralophic; flowers with 4-5 antesepalous stamens and 0-4 antepetalous stamens
.................................................................................................................................................................................................. T. tetragyna
3 Racemes 3-5 mm wide.
6 Young growth papillose; disk synlophic ................................................................................................................................... T. canariensis
6 Young growth glabrous; disk synlophic or hololophic.
7 Petals caducous; disk synlophic .................................................................................................................................................... T. gallica
7 Petals persistent; disk hololophic ................................................................................................................................................ Saltcedar