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| T. ramosissima ©John M. Randall/The Nature Conservancy |
Tamarix spp. ©John M. Randall/The Nature Conservancy |
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| T.
parviflora ©Barry A. Rice/The Nature Conservancy |
T.
parviflora ©Barry A. Rice/The Nature Conservancy |
Zouhar, Kris. 2003. Tamarix spp. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/ [ ].
FEIS ABBREVIATION:
TAMSPP
TAMCHI
TAMGAL
TAMPAR
TAMRAM
SYNONYMS:
Tamarix pentandra Pallas. [139,160]
=Tamarix chinensis Luor [3,20,71,96,103,111,132,137,138]
=Tamarix ramosissima Ledeb [20,71,103,111,137,138,146,256,257,259]
Tamarix tetrandra auct. non Pallas [161]
= Tamarix parviflora DC [3,20,96,103,111,112,137,138,202,256,257,259,263]
NRCS PLANT CODE [243]:
TAMAR2
TACH2
TAGA
TAPA4
TARA
COMMON NAMES:
tamarisk
saltcedar
French tamarisk
small-flowered tamarisk
TAXONOMY:
The currently accepted scientific name for the genus tamarisk is Tamarix L. (Tamaricaceae) [3,20,71,161]. This review summarizes information on 4 species of tamarisk:
Tamarix chinensis Luor [3,20,71,96,103,111,132,137,138] saltcedar
Tamarix gallica L. [3,20,71,99,111,137,138,139,160,187] French tamarisk
Tamarix parviflora DC [3,20,96,103,111,112,137,138,202,256,257,259,263] small-flowered tamarisk
Tamarix ramosissima Ledeb [20,71,103,111,137,138,146,256,257,259] saltcedar
"There is probably not another genus of plants as well known as the tamarisks in which the species are so poorly understood or separated on more obscure characters" [161]. The distinction between T. gallica, T. ramossisima and T. chinensis is based on differences in morphology of the nectary disk and staminal filaments that are often difficult to separate, as the traits are not clearly or unequivocally expressed [3]. Baum [20] had difficulty separating some specimens as either T. ramosissima or T. chinensis and indicated that mixed, naturalized populations of T. ramosissima and T. chinensis need to be studied for possible hybridization [20]. Each species has a distinct distribution in Eurasia, but they may have hybridized in southwestern United States [212]. Allred [3] presents evidence of DNA data that support the merger of T. chinensis and T. ramosissima.
For the purposes of this review, the common name tamarisk will be used when discussing
characteristics common to all 4 species, or when it is unclear which of the species was
studied. When referring to individual species, the common names listed above will be used
to represent the respective currently accepted scientific name. The common name saltcedar
will refer to either T. chinensis or T. ramosissima.
LIFE FORM:
Tree-shrub
FEDERAL LEGAL STATUS:
No special status
OTHER STATUS:
At the time of this writing (2003), tamarisk is classified as a noxious weed in
7 states in the United States [138,243,247]. See the Invaders or
Plants databases for more information.