Rhizophora mangle

 

RED MANGROVE

 

King of Mangrove

                                                                               

 

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Family

 

RHIZOPHORACEAE

 

Origin

 

Tropics of the world

 

Description

 

 

Small tree with many branches at the trunk supported by characteristic stilted, arched roots. Elliptic, shiny, tough leaves at the branches extremities. Pale yellow flowers with 4 petals are hermaphrodits. Cone-shaped fruit with viviparous germination  : the fruit germinates on the foot of the mother plant, the radical can grow out to 30cm, then the plantlet falls from its own weight and plants itself in the silt or is disseminated by the ocean current.

 

Habitat

 

Mangrove pioneer tree

 

Culture and care 

 

Mangroves can help lower nitrates and phosphates in the aquarium. If you are including mangroves in your aquarium as part of your filtering system, it is best to set up a separate mangrove filter. This can be a 10-20 gallon tank that is placed next to your aquarium and connected to its water circulation system.

 

For small (10-30 gallon) aquariums, you will need to have approximately one plant for every gallon. If you have a larger aquarium (50-200 gallons), the attached mangrove filtering tank will need about 1 plant for every 2 gallons of water.

 

To prevent excessive growth in an aquarium, simply trim the growth tip of the plant as necessary with a sharp scissors. In time, the plant will alter its growth, and remain short and bushy. In fact, you can manipulate the growth of your mangrove much like you would a Bonsai Tree. Flowering from June to September.

A reciprocal benefit association has been demonstrated between the roots of the red mangle tree and some sponges growing on it (Tedania ignis, Haliclona sp., Scopalina ruetzleri mainly) : nitrogenous compounds are supplied by the sponge and carbon compounds are supplied by the tree, each of the two partners in the association showing significantly improved growth.

 

Propagation

Seeds

Medicinal use

  

Diarrhoea, stomach aches, sore throat, canker sores, wounds, bleeding.

 

Parts used

 

Bark

 

Directions for use

 

Decoction

 

Toxicity

 

None

 

Ornemental use

 

Cultivated for decoration, in hedges or in an isolated plant.

 

Alimentary use

 

We use leaves for the marine-tea

 

Other uses

  

The wood and bark, rich in tannins, have served in the tanning of leather and in dye production and charcoal. The wood is used in frameworks and in naval construction.

 

Red mangroves are probably of greatest value for their environmental benefits, because they (and mangroves generally) are believed to play a vital role in supporting marine food chains, protecting coastal areas, and improving water quality.

  

Etymology

 

Rhizophora comes from the Greek, « riza », roots, and « phero », to carry because of its numerous aerial roots. The word mangle is of Arawak origin, via spanish, and designates the mangrove fruit or the tree itself. Mangle is the origin of mangrove by association of mangle and grove.

 

 

Anecdotes

 

 

The young, dried plantlet is sometimes smoked like a cigar and the dried leaves can be smoke in a pipe.

 

Adaptation strategies of the Red Mangrove

 

The stilt roots provide the tree with a better seat in the vase. They are often reddish and covered with lenticels which have a respiratory function allowing it to colonize muddy, compact and oxygen-poor soils.

 

At the root level, there is a membrane preventing the passage of salt.

 

In the Red Mangrove, in addition to falling into the ground, a long period of horizontal flotation of the propagule may precede a vertical arrangement.