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Saxaul, scientific name: Haloxylon ammodendron

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The homely-looking saxaul, roughly the size of the typical tamarisk, or salt cedar, ranks as one of the most important and useful native plants in the arid region from the Caspian Sea eastward across the Gobi Desert.

The Saxaul is a kind of xerophytic plant and developed high adaptations to the desert. The mature saxaul has a heavy and coarse trunk and branches and water-saturated bark. Its succulent root system that reaches out extremely for water, both laterally and deeply, get it better live in sandy soils. Saxauls’ small leaves that cannot be easily seen allow them to minimize the loss of moisture through evaporation in the desert environment. The saxaul uses its succulent stems for photosynthesis. The mature saxaul has a dull gray trunk and branches.

The saxaul grows -- sometimes as the only shrub or tree -- in harsh habitats such as moving or fixed sands, saline depressions, dry canyons, clay and rock submontane planes, rocky hill and mountain slopes and tertiary badlands.

https://www.desertusa.com/flora/saxaul.html

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Grey Saltbush (Atriplex cinerea)

The Grey Saltbush is a halophyte plant native to Australia where it's commonly found surrounding salt lakes and in sheltered coastal areas. Such qualities of this harsh environment include nutrient-poor and highly alkaline soil as well as prevailing winds and sea spray. Survival in these conditions is possible due to the species ability to stabilize soils and colonize sand dunes.
This is possible due to their numerous adaptations:
- Epidermal bladder cells. Developing on the surface of aerial tissue, EBCs are large vacuolated cells that can sequester salt from the plant's interior (vascular tissue), EBCs allow for Atriplex Cinerea to have such a high salt tolerance.
- C4 Photosynthesis. The evolved mechanic process minimizes the plant's water loss, as a result of its more efficient incorporation of CO2.

https://www.nzpcn.org.nz/flora/species/atriplex-cinerea/

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Halophyte, Phoenix dactylifera or Date Palm - Omer

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Halophyte, Phoenix dactylifera or Date Palm - Omer

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Date palms can adapt to extreme drought, to hear, and to high levels of soil salinity. It has deep roots that reach down into the soil and spread over large amounts of land to absorb water. The formation of its leaves provides shade to the trunk so that less water is lost to evaporation. It also has spine formation to help reduce water loss and also to protect the tree from animals. It has a long thin trunk to help absorb water moisture from the air to store starch to allow the leaves to grow. These species have a high salt tolerance; this is an adaptation that evolved over time. This is why these plants are seen in seashore places.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4434913/

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Ananas Comosus (Pineapple)

Pineapples are xerophytes that are found in warm areas between 16-30 degrees Celcius. They cannot tolerate frost, have a fragile root system, and can't grow in temperatures over 40 degrees Celcius. The leaves are designed to increase water intake and absorb sunlight. They a colorless water storage tissue that is used to store water for later use in times of drought. They also have Stomata that allow for gas and water exchange trichomes that surround the stomata to prevent tons of water loss. They also have two kinds of roots. Soil roots that start at the base of the stem and auxiliary roots that form on the leaf axils. These help for direct absorption of water and nutrients. Pineapples also undergo a special type of photosynthesis called Crassulacean Acid Metabolism or CAM. This allows them to conserve moisture.

http://bioweb.uwlax.edu/bio203/s2012/engebos_meag/adaptation.htm

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Salt deposits can be seen on the leaves, showing the location of salt glands.

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(California) Sea Lavender - Limonium californicum - Ava

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(California) Sea Lavender - Limonium californicum - Ava

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California Sea Lavender is a halophyte plant  that is commonly found in coastal areas below 160m, meaning it thrives in very sandy soils and salt marshes (around the San Francisco Bay and in coastal southern California). The main adaptation of the plant is that it contains salt glands in the leaves. These excrete salts dissolved in the water taken up by the plant roots, allowing them photosynthesize using saline water and survive in such salty areas. Another interesting fact is that salt crystals are sometimes visible on the blades/leaves, when the sun evaporates extra water and salt crystals are left behind.

Sources:
https://www.aquariumofpacific.org/onlinelearningcenter/species/sea_lavender
https://thenaturecollective.org/plant-guide/details/california-sea-lavender/

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Barbary Fig Cactus Scientific Name - Opuntia ficus-indica
Barbary Fig Cactus is a xerophyte plant that is commonly found in arid to semi-arid environments. Since the habitat for the cactus is usually very harsh, it has many different adaptations that allow it to survive. The main adaptation of barbary fig cacti is that it is able to conserve water within its pads. It has shallow and widespread roots that are able to easily capture rainfall which is then used within the plant, and then excess water is stored in the leaves/pads in case there is a drought. This plant is only able to do this due to the thickness of the leaves/pads. The spikes on the pads then deter any animals from eating them. Another important adaptation is that it has modified its leaves into spines which helps in reducing water loss.
Sources: https://www.nps.gov/articles/000/plains-prickly-pear.htm#:~:text=This%20cactus%20has%20shallow%20roots,most%20other%20types%20of%20cacti.
http://bioweb.uwlax.edu/bio203/s2012/stein_made/Adaptation.htm