The Biological Flora of Coastal Dunes and Wetlands: Batis maritima C. Linnaeus

Batis maritima C. Linnaeus (maritime saltwort) is a New World subtropical and tropical trailing subshrub that forms dense colonies in salt marshes, brackish marshes, and mangrove swamps and frequently is found on the margins of salt pans and wind-tidal flats. It typically occurs at elevations less than 1.0 m above mean sea level and at sites where salinity ranges from 18 to 50 ppt. Leaf succulence increases significantly in the dry season and leaves are shed, thereby reducing salt-induced stress. Batis maritima occurs in sites normally subject to minimal sand coverage. However, wrack deposits stimulate growth. Maritime saltwort provides cover and nesting sites for some species of birds, but glucosinolate compounds in shoots make the plants unpalatable to most large vertebrates, with the exception of marine iguanas in the Galapagos Islands. Recently, B. maritima is proposed to have a major role in reducing ozone levels in the stratosphere.