Table 1.

Tested plant species of the salt-affected environment of Lake Mariout, Alexandria, Egypt: Description, distribution and ecology.

Tested plants	Species description	World distribution	Distribution in Egypt	Ecological habitat
1- Arthrocnemum macrostachyum (Moric.) K. Koch (Family: Chenopodiaceae)	Halophytic perennial small shrub	North Africa, South Portugal, East Mediterranean region, Sinai to eastward to Iran and Indus River delta	Nile valley, Oases, Mediterranean region, desert, Red Sea and Sinai	Halophytic species grows in coastal salt marshes. The plant accumulates salts in its succulent young stems
2- Halocnemum strobilaceum (Pall.) M. Bieb.(Family: Chenopodiaceae)	Halophytic glabrous shrub	Southern Europe, North Africa and Sinai to central Asia.	North Nile Delta, Mediterranean strip, Red Sea, Sinai and deserts	Grows as halophyte in coastal and desert salt marshes and saline plains
3- Limoniastrum monopetalum (L.) Boiss(Family: Plumbaginaceae)	Halophytic low shrub	West Mediterranean region, Egypt, Crete, naturalized in Balearic islands.	Mediterranean strip and Sinai	Halophyte in coastal salt marshes. Dominate the salt marshes with high calcium concentration, this appears as calcareous scales on leaves
4- Mesembryanthemum forsskaolii Hochst. ex (Family: Aizoaceae)	Annual succulent papillose herb	Egypt, Libya, Palestineand Saudi Arabia	Mediterranean strip, deserts, Sinai and Wadi Natrun	Grows in saline - sandy soil and salt affected deserts. Generally can grow in soil with lower salt concentrations than M. crystallinum. The plant is salt tolerant
5- Mesembryanthemum crystallinum L.(Family: Aizoaceae)	Annual succulent recumbent herb	Mediterranean region, Macaronesia, Europe, South Africa, Naturalized in North and South America and Australia	Mediterranean strip, Nile valley, Eastern desert and Sinai	Maritime sand, coastal salt affected soil, edges of salt marches The plant is salt tolerant, accumulate salt in its root and stem, highest salt concentration stored in Epidermal cells (bladder cells giving the plant the crystalline shape).
6- Suaeda pruinosa Lange (Family: Chenopodiaceae)	Halophytic shrub	Spain, Sicily and North Africa.	Mediterranean strip and Sinai coast	Grows in the edges of the salt marshes.