1. HALOPHYTES, XEROPHYTES, HYDROPHYTES, MESOPHYTES
CAPE BIOLOGY UNIT 2
OCTOBER 31, 201`

2. 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

3. Xerophytes

4. 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.

5. Xerophytes, halophytes and some mesophytes have xeromorphic features such as:
reduced respiration rate
storage of water (succulents)
resistance to desiccation

6. 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

7. Hydrophytes

8. Lacunae