12 May 2020

Saltwort – Jubail

Whilst looking for Desert Owls I came across a small wadi and found some Saltwort Salsola drummondii growing in it. A very undistinguished plant for much of the year and is a tough halophyte often looking dead. Its woody stems are an adaptation for survival in the arid heat. The leaves are variable: while some are greater than a centimeter long and club-shaped, others are tiny and almost egg-shaped. The fall flowers are inconspicuous. The winged fruits, generally off-yellow colored but occasionally an attractive rose tint, are much more noticeable. It is common where it occurs and grows to 60 centimeters tall.
Saltwort