Grey Mangrove(c) Saryu Mae 前 朝琉 · Auckland, New Zealand · CC BY
Genus
Avicennia
Called “Black Mangrove” in GBIF
Avicennia is a genus of flowering plants currently placed in the bear's breeches family, Acanthaceae. It contains mangrove trees, which occur in the intertidal zones of estuarine areas and are characterized by its "pencil roots", which are aerial roots. They are also commonly known as api api, which in the Malay language means "fires", a reference to the fact that fireflies often congregate on these trees. Species of Avicennia occur worldwide south of the Tropic of Cancer.
Mangrove trees fight off the stress of salty water better when a beneficial soil fungus partners with their roots, helping the plant grow stronger and handle salt damage at a cellular level.
