What are the physiological adaptations of a halophyte?

Answer 1

they have a tolerance for salt water

Like Xerophytes, halophytes also possess

• Succulent leaves and stem

• Thick walled and heavily cutinized epidermis

• Hairy covering and mucilage cells.

Adaptations

• The leaves are reduced to small scaly structures (Casuarinas) or spines (Opuntia)

• The leaves are shed when water is scarce

• Water storage structures develop in the leaves

• They have a thick cuticle and a multiple layered epidermis

• They have sunken stomata

• They have long roots, which go in search of water

• The stem becomes green and takes over the function of photosynthesis where the leaves are absent/reduced/shed.

Answer 2

Halophytes have developed various physiological adaptations to survive in high-salt environments. These adaptations may include specialized salt glands that excrete excess salt, mechanisms to compartmentalize salt in vacuoles within cells, and the ability to accumulate compatible solutes such as proline and glycine betaine to maintain osmotic balance. Additionally, some halophytes have adaptations in their root systems to absorb water efficiently in saline soils.