ANATOMICAL LEAF ADAPTATIONS IN VASCULAR PLANTS OF A SALT-MARSH IN THE ATACAMA DESERT (CHILE)

A community of vascular plants living in a salt marsh in the Atacama Desert (northern Chile) was studied. Environmental parameters such as high solar radiation, drought, wind and high salt concentration are the most important limiting factors. Above-ground vegetative organs of twelve species living in this environment were morphologically and microscopically analyzed in terms of adaptive features that allow them to survive under these conditions. These species showed an interesting display of traits such as extremely reduced leaf area, striated cuticles, sunken stomata, compact leaf tissues, salt crystals, salt glands and vertically oriented photosynthetic parenchyma. These characteristics were statistically tested in order to establish the clustering degree among them; two leaf patterns were found within the sample. The particular leaf anatomy exhibited is discussed, considering it as being adaptive to the stressful environmental conditions of the area.