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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.
Deserts and xeric (Ancient Greek ξηρός xērós 'dry') shrublands form the largest terrestrial biome, covering 19% of Earth's land surface area. [2] Ecoregions in this habitat type vary greatly in the amount of annual rainfall they receive, usually less than 250 millimetres (10 in) annually except in the margins.
Vegetation in the xerophytic coastal and subcoastal scrublands reaches a height of 6 m (20 ft) and is dominated by palms and succulents, especially cacti.Common evergreen plants include cafecillo (Bourreria virgata), mostacilla (Capparis cynophallophora), guairaje (Eugenia foetida), Bursera glauca, B. cubana, Croton spp., Cordia spp., Calliandra colletioides, Caesalpinia spp., Acacia spp ...
Scrub: Scrub consists of various sand pines, dwarf oaks, Florida rosemary, palmettos, and other evergreen and xerophytic plants on sandy, nutrient-poor soil. This ecosystem is prone to and maintained by infrequent wildfires. Scrub plants tend to have extensive root systems close to the surface. [14]
Sand dunes in the Sahara Desert. Desert ecology is the study of interactions between both biotic and abiotic components of desert environments. A desert ecosystem is defined by interactions between organisms, the climate in which they live, and any other non-living influences on the habitat.
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 ...
The vegetation is similar to the dry deciduous forests to the north, but includes more dry-adapted, xerophytic species. Forests and open-canopied woodlands, reaching 15 metres (49 ft) in height, contain trees and shrubs of the families Burseraceae , Euphorbiaceae , Fabaceae , and Sapindaceae .
The plant species of the California coastal sage and chaparral ecoregion are diverse, with high endemism. [2] The main plant communities are coastal sage scrub , California coastal prairie , chamise chaparral , southern oak woodland, pine forests, riparian woodland, and salt marshes .