Rhizophora is a genus of tropical mangrove trees, sometimes collectively called true mangroves. The most notable species is the red mangrove ( Rhizophora mangle) but some other species and a few natural hybrids are known. Rhizophora species generally live in which are inundated daily by the ocean. They exhibit a number of adaptations to this environment, including Aerial root that elevate the plants above the water and allow them to respire oxygen even while their lower roots are submerged and a Cell biology molecular "pump" mechanism that allows them to remove excess salts from their cells. The generic name is derived from the Greek language words ῥίζα ( rhiza), meaning "root," and φορός ( phoros), meaning "bearing," referring to the stilt-roots.
The beetle Poecilips fallax is a common pest of these trees, especially Rhizophora mucronata and Rhizophora apiculata. This beetle (related to carver beetles) lays its eggs in the . When they hatch, the larvae dig tunnels through the hypocotyl, distorting its shape, When the beetle pupates it leaves the plant, but the hypocotyl will no longer be able to develop normally.
The red mangrove is the state tree of Delta Amacuro in Venezuela; a dark brown dye can be produced from it, which is used in tapa cloth production.
Species
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| Australia (Queensland and the Northern Territory), Guam, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Micronesia, New Caledonia, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, Singapore, the Solomon Islands, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, the Maldives, Thailand, Vanuatu, and Vietnam. |
| Brazil, Cameroon, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Guyana, French Guiana, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama, Suriname, Trinidad, Tobago, and Venezuela. |
Tropical America, West Africa, Melanesia, Polynesia |
| Africa (in southeastern Egypt; eastern Ethiopia; eastern Kenya; Madagascar; Mauritius; Mozambique; the Seychelles; Somalia; eastern side of South Africa down to Nahoon the southernmost mangrove forest in Africa; southeastern Sudan; and eastern Tanzania); Asia (in Burma; Cambodia; India; Pakistan; Iran; Indonesia; the Ryukyu Islands of Japan; Malaysia; Papua New Guinea; the Philippines; Sri Lanka; Taiwan; Thailand; and Vietnam) the South Pacific (in the Solomon Islands; and Vanuatu) and Australia (in northern Northern Territory; and northern Queensland) |
| Pacific coast of Central and South America, Atlantic coast of West Africa. |
| New Caledonia - Tonga - Samoa
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| Japan, China, Taiwan, Cambodia, Vietnam, Malesia and Australia (New South Wales and Queensland) |
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Hybrids
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Rhizophora × annamalayana Kathiresan ( R. apiculata × R. mucronata)
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Rhizophora × lamarckii Montrouz. ( R. apiculata × R. stylosa)
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Rhizophora × selala (Salvoza) P.B.Tomlinson ( R. mangle × R. stylosa)
Formerly placed here
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Aegiceras corniculatum (L.) Blanco (as R. corniculata L.)
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Bruguiera gymnorhiza (L.) Savigny (as R. gymnorhiza L.)
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Bruguiera parviflora (Roxb.) Wight & Arn. ex Griff. (as R. parviflora Roxb.)
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Bruguiera sexangula (Lour.) Poir. (as R. sexangula Lour.)
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Ceriops tagal (Perr.) C.B.Rob. (as R. tagal Perr.)
See also
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Changes in global mangrove distributions
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Ecological values of mangrove
External links
