World Mangrove Day: Hibiscus tiliaceus of the Sundarbans
Hibiscus tiliaceus is a Mangrove related, small tree or a shrubby tree with heart-shaped grey-green largish leaves.
The tree grows well in the countryside with no trace of saltwater within hundreds of kilometres.
It is considered a pioneering plant species as it grows heavily along mud banks of rivers and canals in the Bangladesh part of the Sundarban, roughly 6,000 square kilometres. West Bengal has 4000 square km.
It's quite a valued minor forest produce in Bangladesh as its branches provide cheap firewood and are used in crop field fencing as protection against cattle, goats in particular.
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In most parts of the Sundarban, it forms a tangled mass where the Bengal Tiger often hides and occasionally pounces on the unsuspecting woodcutters, locally called Bawalis.
