Abstract
The name Tamarix aphylla (L.) Karsten, based on Thuja aphylla L., has been adopted by several authors for a tall-growing species of tamarisk widely distributed in north Africa, north-east tropical Africa, the Middle East and India. (e.g. Jahandiez & Maire, Cat. P1. Maroc (1932); Zohary, 'The genus Tamarix in Israel', in Trop. Woods Io4: 24-60 (1956)). In I941, however, W. Rothmaler made the new combination Tetraclinis aphylla, also based on Thuja aphylla L., which would appear to replace the name Tetraclinis articulata (Vahl) Masters, in general use for the Alerce or Sandarach of Algeria, Morocco, and south-eastern Spain. It is the purpose of this note to indicate the correct application of the epithet aphylla. The confusion may be traced to Linnaeus's misidentification of a sterile tamarisk specimen with a conifer described and figured by Thomas Shaw (Cat. P1. Afr.: I88, fig. I88 (1738)). The following protologue is taken from the Linnaean dissertation 'Centuria Plantarum I', defended by A. D. Juslenius, which appeared in 1755: '96. THUJA (aphylla) strobilis quadrivalvibus: foliis turbinatis vaginantibus, hinc mucronatis frondibus imbricatis.
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