Fig. 1.

Morphological characteristics and growth forms of Sarcocornia: the genus comprises perennial herbs, subshrubs and shrubs of strongly deviating growth form. The articulated, decumbent to erect stems are composed of fleshy, cylindrical, barrel- or club-shaped internodes (segments) and more or less constricted nodes that often bear adventitious roots (C, D, F–H). The segments emerge from the opposite connate leaves that are strongly reduced and only visible as a small rim at the upper edge of each segment, all forming a vascular cylinder enclosed by an inner water storage tissue and an outer photosynthetically active chlorenchyma (cortex). The spike-like inflorescence is a thyrse (A, B, D) with 3–12 strongly reduced flowers per cyme (for detailed descriptions see: Alonso and Crespo, 2008; Steffen et al., 2010; de la Fuente et al., 2013). (A) Sarcocornia blackiana, Yalgorup National Park, Western Australia; (B) S. pacifica, Tomales Bay, California; with a Cuscuta growing on it; (C) S. littorea, Pearly Beach, Western Cape, South Africa; (D) S. xerophila, Knersvlakte, Western Cape, South Africa (A–D all erect, broomy or speading shrubs); (E) dense cushions forming clonal S. pulvinata, Moquegua, Peru; (F) loose carpet-forming clonal S. tegetaria, Langebaan Lagoon, Western Cape; (G) short-lived prostrate herb S. natalensis subsp. affinis, West Coast, Western Cape, South Africa; (H) loose spreading spider-like clonal S. capensis, West Coast, Western Cape, South Africa. Photo credits: A, C, D, F, G: L. Mucina; B, F: G. Kadereit; E: D. Montesinos Tubée.