CHARACTERISTICS OF COASTAL HALOPHYTES

1. Majority of plants perennial and long-lived.

2. Lower incidence of sexual reproduction under increasing salinity.

3. Different methods of clonal reproduction well-developed within halophytes as a group.

4. Much of the total biomass is belowground in perennial plants.

5. Relative growth rates low compared with crop plants.

Maximum rates achieved early in season as result of mobilization of reserves.

6. Internal salt content in leaves between 10 and 50% of dry weight.

Concentrations of soluble nitrogenous compounds high.

7. Sparse or sporadic germination at salinities equivalent to seawater.

Seedling mortality high under these conditions.

8. Most spp. C₃ (Spartina is exception).

9. Morphogenetic responses to increasing salinity (e.g., fall in shoot/root ratio, development of new leaves with different characteristics).