Black Mangrove
Scientific Name:
Avicennia marina (Forsk.) Vierh.
Family Name:
Verbenaceae
Introduction:
Black mangroves are the most common kind of mangroves in Taiwan. They can be found all across the island, from the Hongmao Port of Hsinchu in the north to the Dapeng Bay of Pingtung in the south.
Characteristics:
1. Salt-emitting leaves: Black mangroves grow in very salty environments. To adjust to their environs, the trees would emit excessive salt in their bodies through the back of their leaves.
2. Semi-viviparous fruits: Black mangroves grow flowers from April to August. The longish and flat fruits they bear become ripe between August and October. Unlike other mangrove trees, their seedlings only sprout inside the fruits after they fall onto the ground.
3. Up-growing roots: Black mangroves don’t have buttresses like their relatives do, but they do have expansive roots that seem to reach up to the sky. This is not only for breathing more air but also for standing more firmly in muddy lands.