TAMARISK, lamaric, a genus of plants of the natural order tamaricacece. This order contains rather more than forty known species, all natives of the warmer parts of Europe and Asia, and of Africa, generally growing in arid situations. Some of them are herbaceous, others are shrubs or small trees, with rod-like branches, scale-like leaves, and small flowers in close spikes or racemes. The calyx has four or five segments; the corolla four or five petals; the stamens are hypogynous, equal in number to the petals, or twice as many; the pistil has three styles; the fruit is a one-celled capsule, with numerous hairy seeds. The COMMON TAMARISK (T. Gallica) grows in sandy places in the countries near the Mediterranean, and has been naturalized in some places on the southern coast of England. It sometimes attains a height of 30 feet. The twigs seem to possess tonic properties, and their medicinal virtues were once in high repute. The ashes of this and some other species of the genus contain much sulphate of soda.—The
ORIENTAL TAMARISK (7: orientalis) is one of the few trees to be seen in the Arabian and African deserts, with the sands of which it seems to struggle more than any other tree or shrub. Its leafless appearance accords with the surrounding desolation. It is called atle or et1ael, and its wood is used both for fuel and for many economical purposes. —Galls are found on some species in India, and are valued both for medicinal use and for dyeing. T. 7n,annifera, perhaps a variety of T. Gallica, yields the kind of manna (q.v.) known as Mt. Sinai manna.—The GERMAN TAMARISK (myricarza Germanica) belongs to another genus of this order. It is a smaller shrub than the com mon tamarisk, and abounds in many parts of Europe and Asia, although not found in Britain. It was formerly supposed to possess valuable medicinal properties, but is now little regarded.