Salt glands of some halophytes in Egypt

Twelve species of salt excreting halophytes were collected from the salt marshes along the Red Sea (arid) and the west Mediterranean (semi-arid) coasts in Egypt. Those species belonged to seven genera and six families. The data revealed that the structure of the salt glands varied greatly among the investigated taxa and can be categorized in five groups. These groups are the vesiculated hairs or bladders of Chenopodiaceae; glands of Tamaricaceae and Frankeniaceae; glands of Plumbaginaceae; glands of Avicennia marina and glands of Aeluropus lagopoides. The results revealed also that the excreted salts are mostly composed of NaCl, but with more or less selectivity among different species. The composition of other ions varied also according to the different species.