Athel tamarisk Athel tamarisk

Thuja aphylla Linnaeus, Cent. Pl. I, 32. 1775

Trees, to 10+ m. Leaves sheathing; blade abruptly pointed, 2 mm. Inflorescences 3–6 cm × 4–5 mm; bract exceeding pedicel, not reaching calyx tip. Flowers 5-merous; sepals 1–1.5 mm, margins entire; petals oblong to elliptic, 2–2.5 mm; antisepalous stamens 5, filaments alternate with nectar disc lobes, all originating from edge of disc. 2n = 24.

Flowering late summer–early winter. Lakeshores, riverways, sandy soil; 0–600 m; introduced; Ariz., Calif., Nev., Tex., Utah; sw Asia; n Africa; introduced also in Mexico (Baja California, Coahuila), Australia.

Tamarix aphylla forms hybrids (rarely) with T. ramosissima and T. chinensis.