Tamarix ramosissima
Ledeb. TamariskGrey-green shrub or small tree to c. 6 m high; branches widely spreading or drooping at the tips. Leaves c. triangular, 1.5–4 mm long. Inflorescence a dense, spike-like raceme, 1.5–11 cm long, 3–5 mm wide, often drooping. Pedicels to c. 1 mm long, subequal to the subtending bract; sepals 5, ovate, 0.5–1 mm long, acute, green; petals 5, obovate, 1–1.8 mm long, dusky-pink, rarely white; disc 5-lobed, the filaments between the lobes up to c. twice as long as petals; stigma shortly 3-lobed. Fruit a beaked, ovoid capsule, to c. 6 mm long; seeds not seen (apparently rarely produced in Victoria). Flowers Nov.–Dec.
LoM, MuM, Wim, GleP, VVP, VRiv, MuF, GipP, OtP, Gold, DunT. Also naturalised SA. Native to eastern Europe through central Asia to China and Korea. Apparently naturalised in northern Victoria near Kerang and Cohuna. Trees along the lower Yarra River in suburban Melbourne may be either planted or naturalised from cultivated stock.
Tamarix aphylla (L.) Karsten (Athel Pine) is commonly grown as a drought- and salt-tolerant tree in north-western Victoria and inland Australia. It has jointed branchlets with leaves reduced to a minute lobe at the rim of each segment. It is apparently naturalised in Western Australia, Queensland, New South Wales, and perhaps South Australia (but the illustration in Jessop & Toelken (1986, p. 872) appears to be of T. ramosissima).
Walsh, N.G. (1996). Tamaricaceae. In: Walsh, N.G.; Entwisle, T.J., Flora of Victoria Vol. 3, Dicotyledons Winteraceae to Myrtaceae, pp. 371–372. Inkata Press, Melbourne.
Spinning
