Plants that survive in marine habitats are called

1. Analyze the question The question asks for the term for plants that survive in marine (salty, sea-water) habitats. The key idea is salt tolerance.

2. Explain the concept Plants are grouped by the type of habitat and water conditions they adapt to:

• Halophytes: plants adapted to salty conditions, such as mangroves along the Niger Delta and Lagos lagoon. The prefix halo- means salt.
• Hydrophytes: plants that live in water or very wet places, usually fresh water, such as water lily and water lettuce. The prefix hydro- means water.
• Mesophytes: plants that grow in moderate conditions with average water supply, such as maize, beans and hibiscus.
• Xerophytes: plants adapted to dry conditions, such as cactus and some Euphorbia species. The prefix xero- means dry.

3. Step-by-step solution

• The habitat is marine, so the dominant feature is salt in the water and soil.
• Which group is defined by salt tolerance? Halophytes.
• Hydrophytes are water plants, but they generally live in fresh water, so they are not the best answer.
• Mesophytes need moderate conditions and could not cope with high salinity.
• Xerophytes live in dry areas, which does not match a marine habitat.

4. Answer The correct option is A. halophytes.

5. Exam tip Link the Greek prefixes to their meanings:

• Halo = salt
• Hydro = water
• Xero = dry
• Meso = middle or moderate

If you can decode the prefix, you can answer many classification questions in seconds. Keep it up!