#2193 - Avicennia marina - Grey Mangrove
AKA White Mangrove, and mānawa in New Zealand. Currently in the Acanthaceae family, although that remains contentious.
Native to Africa's East coast, the Arabian Peminsula, all Australian states, and parts of New Zealand. Grows remarkably far south for a mangrove.
Grey mangroves can be found as shrubs, like those in my photos, or up to 14 metres tall in tropical regions. The gnarled branches have smooth light-grey flaky bark. They excrete excess salt through glands on the leaves. Like other Avicennia species they have aerial roots to absorb oxygen and anchor the plant when tides come in. Fruit often germinates on the tree, falling as a seedling that may spear into the mud of the estuary or float away on the outgoing tide.
Mascot, Sydney, New South Wales
