Ceriops tagal (Yellow Mangrove)

Fig.: Ceriops mangroves can be found in similar habitats to the well-known red mangroves, but not in America.

While the well-known red mangrove Rhizophora mangle is only found in East Africa, Central and South America, the yellow mangrove Ceriops occupies similar ecological niches in Asia. Its distribution ranges from West Africa through India and Malesia to northern Australia. Like Rhizophora , Ceriops belongs to the Rhizophoraceae family within the Malpighiales order and forms similar stilt-like root structures. Ceriops mangroves are found very close to the coast, for example in estuaries, where they must tolerate highly variable salinity levels, ranging from almost salt-free to almost completely saline. The soil in these areas is characterized by very fine sediment deposits, which are washed inland from the adjacent rivers and are deposited here over long periods due to the slowed flow velocity. The majority of this silt consists of fine, siliceous abrasion clay. Organic plant remains and detritus are also present.

In order to anchor themselves in this unstable and often changing substrate, these trees, which can grow up to 20 m tall, form a network of stilt roots that further anchor the plant superficially in all directions.

Similar to Rhizophora, the seeds of Ceriops also germinate on the mother plant, and practically fully developed young plants are dispersed (vivipary). These buoyant young plants are significantly smaller than those of Rhizophora and can often be found washed up on beaches. When these diaspores find suitable substrate, they immediately anchor themselves with their first roots and begin to sprout.