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A xerophyte (from Ancient Greek ξηρός (xērós) 'dry' and φυτόν (phutón) 'plant') is a species of plant that has adaptations to survive in an environment with little liquid water. Examples of xerophytes include cacti , pineapple and some gymnosperm plants.
Xerophyta is a genus of flowering plants in the family Velloziaceae. It was named in 1789 by de Jussieu. [1] [2] It is native to Africa, Madagascar, and the Arabian Peninsula. [3] Some species in this genus are poikilochlorophyllous plants. This means that during dry climatic conditions, they lose chlorophyll and cease photosynthesis and ...
A single leaf of marram grass, showing the rolled leaf which reduces water loss Like other xerophytes , marram grass is well adapted to its surroundings to thrive in an otherwise harsh environment. The natural loss of water through transpiration is not desirable in a very dry landscape, and marram grass has developed particular adaptations to ...
Not all xerophytes are succulents, since there are other ways of adapting to a shortage of water, e.g., by developing small leaves which may roll up or having leathery rather than succulent leaves. [8] Nor are all succulents xerophytes, as plants such as Crassula helmsii are both succulent and aquatic. [9] The center rosette of Aloe polyphylla
However, the conditions in autumn cause the plant to nearly stop growth while its leaves become aged. [6] In winter, because of the cold temperatures, growth is very slow but does not stop. [7] As a xerophytic adaptation, its leaves curl during drought (see pictures). The relatively high humidity within the curled leaf prevents a rapid water loss.
These plants, normally woody perennials, grow stems into the air, with their resting buds being more than 50 cm above the soil surface, [10] e.g. trees and shrubs, and also epiphytes, which Raunkiær later separated as a distinct class (see below).
In most such species, the tumbleweed is in effect the entire plant apart from the root system, but in other plants, a hollow fruit or inflorescence might detach instead. [1] Xerophyte tumbleweed species occur most commonly in steppe and arid ecosystems, where frequent wind and the open environment permit rolling without prohibitive obstruction. [2]
They usually have larger, thinner leaves compared to xerophytes, sometimes with a greater number of stomata on the undersides of leaves. Because of their lack of particular xeromorphic adaptations, when they are exposed to extreme conditions they lose water rapidly, and are not tolerant of drought.