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HALOPHYTES, XEROPHYTES, HYDROPHYTES, MESOPHYTES. CAPE BIOLOGY UNIT 2 OCTOBER 31, 201`. Xerophytes. Plants adapted to conditions of unfavorable water balance e.g. hot climates, dry climates, cold or frozen climates. Mesophytes (opposite) Halophytes live in salty regions. Xerophytes.
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HALOPHYTES, XEROPHYTES, HYDROPHYTES, MESOPHYTES CAPE BIOLOGY UNIT 2 OCTOBER 31, 201`
Xerophytes • Plants adapted to conditions of unfavorable water balance e.g. hot climates, dry climates, cold or frozen climates. • Mesophytes (opposite) • Halophytes live in salty regions
Halophytes • Plants that can tolerate water of high salinity or salt content. • E.g. are the sea grape and mangroves which have a special filtering system in the roots to remove excess salts.
Xerophytes, halophytes and some mesophytes have xeromorphic features such as: • reduced respiration rate • storage of water (succulents) • resistance to desiccation
Hydrophytes • Plants live submerged in water. • Live in marshes, swamps and aquatic regions • Adaptive features : • aeration tissue (lacunae) • absence of sclerenchyma and underdeveloped xylem • Submerged leaves lack stomata • Floating leaves have stomata in the adaxial epidermal surface only