Shrubs or small trees. Leaves alternate, simple, usually ericoid. Inflorescence a raceme, actinomorphic, bisexual. Sepals 4–5, free or slightly connate at base. Petals 4–5, free. Stamens 4 to numerous, free or partly united. Ovary superior, of 3–5 carpels. Fruit a septicidal capsule; seeds numerous, with numerous long unicellular hairs.

Contains 4 genera and about 120 species mainly in the Mediterranean region and central Asia, extending to eastern Asia, South Africa and western Europe.

Tamarix L.

Deciduous shrubs or small trees; the smaller twigs falling with the leaves. Leaves alternate, simple, usually ericoid, without stipules. Inflorescences of catkin-like racemes; flowers hypogynous, bisexual, bracteate. Sepals 4–5. Petals 4–5, without ligules. Stamens 5, free or nearly so, inserted around a nectariferous disc; anthers extrorse. Styles 3, short and thick. Fruit a capsule; seeds with a sessile tuft of hairs at apex; endosperm absent.

Contains over 50 species, mainly in the eastern Mediterranean, extending to central and east Asia, South Africa and western Europe.

There are old records for T. chinensis Lour. and T. parviflora DC