Bassia diffusa on coastal sand

Bassia diffusa, previously Chenolea diffusa, has a high salt tolerance. Plants that flourish close to the high tide mark require such adaptation due to the continual salt spray on the leaves and salt in the sandy soil. They are referred to as halophytes found along ocean shorelines and characterised by a higher tolerance for dissolved dry solids in the water they use, or by the ability to avoid the salinity around them. Most plants are not salt tolerant, called glycophytes, easily damaged by much salt in the water.

Beach plants form an important part of coastal environments. Salinity impacts on plants similarly to drought, preventing roots from performing their osmotic activity, by which water and nutrients move from areas of low concentration to areas of high concentration. This phenomenon is the same as the burning of plants from too high concentrations of fertiliser in the soil (Wikipedia; www1.agric.gov.ab.ca; www.worldatlas.com).