Included here is the Namib Desert in southwest Africa. It represents an extremely arid coastal strip roughly extending from Benguela south to the mouth of the Orange River just south of Alexander Bay.

Namibian Saltmarsh

In the more saline zones where flooding rarely occurs Sporobolus virginicus and Scirpus dioicus are the main halopytes (salt tolerant species) while in less saline areas Odyssea paucinervis predominates. In areas regularly flooded at high tides the succulent Arthrocnemum affine is one of the main pioneer species. Other plants found in the saline soils of the littoral zone include Aizoanthemum mossamedensa, Chlois pubescens, Leucophrys mesocoma, Paspalm vaginatum, Salsola zeyheri, Sesuvium mesembryanthemoides, Sesuvium sesuvioides and Suaeda fruticosa. In the more gravelly patches, the endemic Arthraerua leubnitziae (Amaranthaceae) occurs together with Zygophyllum stapffii.

References

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