Crossword Genius

Tree rising in sacred land (5)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

alder

'tree' is the definition.
(alder is a kind of tree)

'rising in sacred land' is the wordplay.
'rising' is a reversal indicator (going up in a down clue).
'in' indicates the answer is hidden within the clue.
'redla' is hidden within 'sacred land'.
'redla' backwards is 'ALDER'.

(Other definitions for alder that I've seen before include "Tree with toothed leaves and cone-like fruits" , "Tree growing in damp ground" , "New Forest resident" , "North temperate tree with cone-like fruit" , "Artificial fishing fly" .)

I've seen this clue in The Telegraph.
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