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Five ecotypes of Panicum antidotale Retz. adapted to diverse habitats were subjected to drought stress to evaluate their drought tolerance in relation to adaptive anatomical structures. The ecotype from non-stressed habitat had intensive sclerification as well as crystallization in parenchymatous cells, which help prevent water loss. The ecotype from drought-prone habitat had well-developed metaxylem vessel area for better conduction of water and nutrients, and pith area for better storage of water. The ecotype collected from salinity-affected habitat as well as that from saline and waterlogged habitat showed extensive sclerification in the vascular region, which is vital for preventing water loss. The ecotype from a salinity- and drought-prone habitat showed increased metaxylem vessel number and formation of additional metaxylem vessels in the pith region for better conduction, multi-layer exodermis and intensive sclerification for prevention of water loss, and increased parenchymatous region for better ...

The inland vegetation of saline patches in the Cholistan desert faces extreme environmental conditions including predominantly salt stress and limited resource availability. Changes in the salinity gradients may lead to gradual variation in response of individual plant species that ultimately affect community structure and composition. The present study was conducted to determine spatial distribution of individual species along a salinity gradient in the Cholistan desert in relation to their life form and tolerance limits. The results showed variable responses of these species in spatial distribution against the salinity gradient. The plants differed considerably in their tolerance level due to development of differential adaptive strategies under extreme salinities. Excretory species like Aeluropus lagopoides and Sporobolus ioclados dominated the sites with highest salinities along with the leafy succulent Suaeda fruticosa. Stem succulents dominated moderate salinities along with spreading stoloniferous ...