| Haloxylon | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Haloxylon ammodendron | |
Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Order: | Caryophyllales |
| Family: | Amaranthaceae |
| Subfamily: | Salsoloideae |
| Tribe: | Salsoleae |
| Genus: | Haloxylon BungeexFenzl |
Haloxylon is a genus of shrubs or small trees, belonging to the plantfamilyAmaranthaceae.Haloxylon and its species are known by the common namesaxaul. "Saksaul" is a commonTurkic word[1] that entered Russian throughKazakh.
The species of genusHaloxylon are shrubs or small trees 1–8 metres (3+1⁄2–26 feet) (rarely up to 12 m or 39 ft) tall, with a thick trunk and many branches. The branches of the current year are green, from erect to pendant. The leaves are reduced to small scales. Theinflorescences are short shoots borne on the stems of the previous year. The flowers are very small, as long or shorter than thebracteoles, bisexual or male. The twostigmas are very short. In fruit, theperianth segments develop spreading wings. The fruit with wings is about8 millimetres (1⁄4 in) in diameter. The seed is about1.5 mm (1⁄16 in) in diameter.[2]
The genusHaloxylon is distributed in southwest and Central Asia, from Egypt to Mongolia and China (Xinjiang andGansu), where it grows in sandy habitats (psammophyte).[2]
The genus nameHaloxylon was published byAlexander Bunge (exEduard Fenzl) in 1851, with the type speciesHaloxylon ammodendron; it belongs to the subfamilySalsoloideae in the familyAmaranthaceae andPlants of the World Online includes:[3]
Phylogenetic research revealed that several species formerly included inHaloxylon are not related to this genus. They are now classified to genusHammada; the formerHaloxylon stocksii (syn.Haloxylon recurvum) has been moved toSoda stocksii.
The common namesaxaul, sometimessacsaoul orsaksaul, comes from the Russianсаксаул (saksaul), which is from Kazakhсексеуiл (seksewil).
In the deserts ofCentral Asia, a large number of birds are associated with saxaul, including thesaxaul sparrow.[4]
The trees are used by nomads across the steppes of Central Asia as firewood.[5]
In the former bed of theAral Sea, saxaul trees are being planted to stop the wind picking up contaminated sand from the dried up sea bed and spreading them through the atmosphere. The plan is to cover the entire former bed with a forest.[6]
Data related toHaloxylon at WikispeciesAuthority control databases: National |
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