Common name: Athel pine, Athel tamarisk, Salt-cedar, Tamarisk
Botanical name: Tamarix aphylla Family: Tamaricaceae (tamarisk family)
Athel pine is a spreading tree to 15 m with pendulous, jointed branches.
Immature trees have light grey trunks and stems. Mature trees have a
thick, rough, dark grey to black bark, and grey-brown stems, and can be up
to 1 m in diameter. The minute, dull green leaves superficially resemble
pine tree ‘needles’. However, athel pine is misleadingly named as it
is a flowering plant, not closely related to true pine trees (conifers)
Its small flowers are pinkish-white without stalks, growing on 30–40
mm long spikes from the ends of the previous year’s branches. The
fruit is bell shaped with a hairy tuft, and contains numerous small
cylindrical seeds. The seeds have a tuft of fine hairs which assists
wind dispersal. The trees have strong woody roots which penetrate and
spread deeply throughout the soil.
Athel pine is native to Asia and Africa.
| Photographed in Garden of Five
Senses, Delhi |
|
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