Tamarix ericoides Rottl. & Willd.

Tall shrub with blackish bark, 2-4 m, glabrous to subglabrous, somewhat papillose. Leaves vaginate in the lower part, subamplexicaul in the upper part, ovate, lanceolate, accumintate, 3-7 mm long with punctate salt glands. Racemes vernal and aestival both, simple 5-15 (-20) cm long, 8-10 mm broad. Bracts 2.25-3 mm long, c.2 mm broad, subamplexicaul, acute to acuminate, triangular, somewhat denticulate at the margins. Pedicel 2 mm long, flowers 6 mm across, pale rose pink. Calyx 5-lobed, sepals 2-2.5 mm long, ovate minutely and irregularly denticulate at the margin, the outer 2 more acute than the inner three. Petals, 5, free, elliptic to obovate 4-5 (-6) mm long, c. 4 mm broad, very finely and irregularly denticulate at the margin. Stamens 10, alternating with sepals and petals, the antipetalous stamens somewhat shorter than antisepalous stamens, 34 mm long. Disc cupshaped, fleshy, forming somewhat membranous torus. Ovary ovte, c. 1 mm long, capsule 1.25 cm long, c. 4 mm broad.

Distribution: India, Ceylon, Bengla Desh and Pakistan.

Fl. Per.: September.