Avicennia marina - Grey Mangrove

Grey mangrove is a species of mangrove tree, found in large parts of Asia and Africa. It grow as a shrub or tree to a height of 3-14 m. The tree form is a gnarled arrangement of multiple branches. It has smooth light-grey bark made up of thin, stiff, brittle flakes, which gives it its common name. The leaves are thick, ovate-lanceshaped, 5-8 cm long, a bright, glossy green on the upper surface, and silvery-white, or grey, with very small matted hairs on the surface below. As with other Avicennia species, it has aerial roots. These grow to a height of about 20 cm, and a diameter of 1 cm. These allow the plant to absorb oxygen, which is deficient in its habitat. The flowers range from white to a golden yellow color, are less than a cm across, and occur in clusters of 3-5. The fruit contains a large fleshy seed, often germinating on the tree and falling as a seedling.