Rhizophora mangle
Syn. Rhizophora americana, Rhizophora samoensis

Names: King of the mangrove tree, Red mangrove, American mangrove, red mangrove, tiri wai, togo, apareiba, candelón, mangle Colorado, mangle dulce, mangle geli, mangle rojo, mangle zapatero, mangrove, mangué, purgua, sapateiro, tapche , mangle, red mangle, red mangrove, black mangle, black mangrove, candle mangrove, mang, mang chandèl, mang wouj, mangliyé, pativié rouj, pativié janm, mangrove, black mangrove, red mangle, mangle chifle, mangle caballero, pallisados,  Mangle vermelho, apareiba, sapateiro, mangle zapateiro…

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FAMILY

RHIZOPHORACEAE

 

ETYMOLOGY

Rhizophora comes from the Greek "  rice  », root and «  phero  to wear, because of the many stilt roots.

Word "  mangle  is of Arawak origin, via Spanish, and designates the fruit of the mangrove or the tree itself.

This word gave that of mangrove by association of mangle and grove (grove in English). 

Mangrove comes from the Tupi “  aparahiba  (apara, curve and iba, tree) which then became appariturier, then pareturier, meaning "lying tree".

It is called red mangrove because of its red tannin.  

 

ORIGIN

Tropics of the world.

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HABITAT

Pioneer tree of the mangrove.

 

DESCRIPTION

Pioneer tree of the maritime forest that can reach 8m high in the interior mangrove and 5m by the sea or in an island. It is very branched and recognizable by its many arched aerial roots or stilts. They are intertwined and form an environment that is difficult to penetrate, except for fry and plankton, which find refuge there. 

Before joining the mud, the stilt root hangs down and grows until it comes into contact with a substrate where it can attach itself. They are often reddish and covered with lenticels which have a respiratory function allowing it to colonize muddy, compact soils poor in oxygen. 

Membranes at the root level block the salt. it does not go into the plant, so it can grow in freshwater, saltwater, and brackish water.

The foliage is composed of elliptical, shiny leaves, and leathery at the ends of the branches.

Flowering takes place all year round, especially from June to September. The flowers consist of short inflorescences with a yellow calyx with 4 woolly white petals inside. 

The fruit , called seedling, or propagule, is dart-shaped, with a persistent calyx and measures 10 to 40cm long when mature. It germinates on the mother plant (viviparous germination, viviparity), once the radicle is sufficiently developed, it falls under the effect of its weight and crashes into the mud, or drifts on the surface of the water to find a suitable area to its development. It is disseminated by ocean currents.

 

NEEDS

The red mangrove is a tropical aquatic plant , it grows equally well in fresh water, brackish water and salt water as long as it is not too cold (min 15°C).

Young plants do not need a lot of light. Adult plants can go in full sun .

The red mangrove is a species that has become pantropical .

They filter water and in particular nitrates and phosphates better than any mechanical filter. They improve water quality.

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MULTIPLICATION 

Propagule seedlings.

 

CULTURE

It is very tolerant to the salinity of the water and the substrate, but can grow very well in a non-saline environment: it is an optional halophyte .

In good conditions, it flowers from the 5th year.

It can be grown in tubs or ponds with a quantity of salt up to 25g per liter of water. It adapts very well to a new culture medium.

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Cultivation in the Aquarium 

- Put the seeds in a glass of tap water previously aerated for 24 hours, or spring water, in light but not direct sunlight.

- Once they have roots, take a polystyrene plate (for example), Decide on the length you want under water and on water.

- Measure the diameter of the seed at the meeting point.

- Pierce the plate a little below the diameter thus measured and insert the seeds from top to bottom so that they hold in the “float”. 

- Then, put the plate in your aquarium, the roots in the water and the light high enough not to dry out the leaves.

- The roots will go towards the substrate. Remove the plate once the seed is holding on its own. You can then enjoy a beautiful natural setting.

- Prune regularly to limit the growth of the plant and create a bonsai effect. Growth is very slow.

- Remove the plants before the roots are too developed, plant them in a nice pot, not pierced, filled with sand and water, it is a very beautiful indoor plant.

- You can then put seeds back in the aquarium.

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Container culture 

- Plant the seeds in an undrilled pot filled with sand and water. 

- Repot in a larger container when necessary.

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Use as a natural filter 

- Just put a 40-100L tank next to your aquarium and connect it to the water circuit.

- It takes 1 plant for 5L for aquariums up to 120L and 2 plants for 5L for larger aquariums. Then you have to prune the plants regularly so as to make bonsai.

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Adaptation strategies of the Red Mangrove

The stilt roots give the tree a better footing in mud and sand. They are often reddish and covered with lenticels which have a respiratory function allowing it to colonize muddy, compact soils poor in oxygen. They also make it possible to resist tides and tidal waves.

At the root level, there is a membrane preventing the passage of salt. It is therefore the only tree that grows totally in sea water.

In the red mangrove, in addition to the fall in the ground, a long period of horizontal floating of the propagule can precede a vertical disposition. The seed can make long journeys with ocean currents.

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The benefits for your aquarium

- Filters Nitrates and Phosphates better than any mechanical filter

- Is suitable for any type of water

- Produces a better atmosphere for fish

- Creates natural protection for small fish and fry

- Brings a touch of green and a magical setting

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USES
 

MEDICINAL USE
Ailments  Diarrhea, stomach aches, sore throats, mouth ulcers, sores and bleeding

Parts used  Bark

Manual  Decoction

Hazards  Any

Source: Medicinal Plants of the Tropics - Ed Exbrayat

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ORNAMENTAL USE

Cultivated for ornament in hedges or as an isolated subject in undrilled containers, in aquaponic, hydroponic, aeroponic systems, aquarium, vivarium, paludarium, ...

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FOOD USE

The leaves are used to make tea (Marine tea).

 

OTHER USES

In the past, its wood was used for heating sugar factories. The wood and the bark, rich in tannins, were used in the tanning of leather and in the production of a red dye. The wood is used for carpentry, shipbuilding and coal. 

Red mangroves are probably the most valuable for their environmental benefits, as they (and mangroves in general) are considered to play a vital role in supporting marine food chains, protecting coastal areas and improving the quality of the water.

 

ANECDOTES

A reciprocal beneficial association has been demonstrated between the roots of the red mangrove and certain sponges that grow on them ( Tedania ignis , Haliclona sp.,  Scopalina ruetzleri mainly): nitrogen compounds are provided by the sponge and carbon compounds are provided by the tree, each of the two partners of the association showing significantly improved growth. (Source: www.doris.ffessm.fr )

The young, dried seedling is sometimes smoked as a cigar and the dried leaves instead of pipe tobacco.

The mangrove served as a refuge for the "Neg Mawon", the slaves who fought for their freedom by fleeing the property of their master. Escaping into this space deemed inhospitable allowed them to lose the dogs launched in pursuit. To protect themselves from insect bites, the "Neg Mawon" smeared mud from the mangroves giving birth in the imagination to frightening zombies, the famous sokounians.

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QUOTE

“The mangroves are the most resistant in the world; it has hooked fingers that have been holding the earth rolled by the tides for millions of years” .

Moran, Man in a Hurry, 1941

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SOURCES

• Illustrated flora of the phanerogams of Guadeloupe and Martinique - T1 P233 - CIRAD - Gondwana editions