''Tamarix canariensis'' is a

species In biology, a species is the basic unit of classification and a taxonomic rank of an organism, as well as a unit of biodiversity. A species is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate s ...

flowering plant Flowering plants are plants that bear flowers and fruits, and form the clade Angiospermae (), commonly called angiosperms. The term "angiosperm" is derived from the Greek words ('container, vessel') and ('seed'), and refers to those plants th ...

in the family Tamaricaceae. It is a shrub or small tree up to 4 m tall. It was previously said to be native to parts of Macaronesia, northern Africa and south-western Europe, but is now considered only to be found in the

Canary Islands The Canary Islands (; es, Canarias, ), also known informally as the Canaries, are a Spanish autonomous community and archipelago in the Atlantic Ocean, in Macaronesia. At their closest point to the African mainland, they are west of Morocc ...

, the African and European species being ''

Tamarix gallica ''Tamarix gallica'', the French tamarisk, is a deciduous, herbaceous, twiggy shrub or small tree reaching up to about 5 meters high. It is indigenous to Saudi Arabia and the Sinai Peninsula, and very common around the Mediterranean region. It i ...

''. It was first described by

Carl Ludwig Willdenow Carl Ludwig Willdenow (22 August 1765 – 10 July 1812) was a German botanist, pharmacist, and plant taxonomist. He is considered one of the founders of phytogeography, the study of the geographic distribution of plants. Willdenow was als ...

in 1816. File:Tamarix_canariensis_kz3.JPG, Flowers and foliage

Distribution and habitat

''Tamarix canariensis'' is

endemic Endemism is the state of a species being found in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also found elsew ...

to the

. It is believed to occur on all the islands except for El Hierro. It has been found at elevations of up to about 560 m, although it is more common at lower altitudes, including the sea shore and estuaries. It tolerates some salinity.

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q5637949 canariensis Flora of the Canary Islands Plants described in 1816