What is a Halophyte?
A halophyte is a plant which is capable of surviving in a highly salty environment. An estimated two percent of plant species are halophytic, with the vast majority of plants being glycophytes which will not survive on a salty substrate. Although halophytes make up a very small percentage of the overall plant population, they play a number of important roles in the environment, and they have some potentially useful industrial applications. These plants can survive in a number of environments. Many are designed to grow in salt marshes and estuaries, where there is a high concentration of salty water. Others can live on cliffs and dunes near the ocean, and some are adapted for near-desert environments where water supplies may be limited and highly saline. A halophyte which lives in the desert is typically a succulent, so that it can store water to ensure that it has an ample supply. Researchers distinguish between facultative halophytes and obligate halophytes. A facultative halophyte is
