| Abstract: | The ultrastructure of the halophyte, Salicornia europea L. wascompared with barley and bean plants grown under saline conditions.S. europea exhibited frequent pinocytotic vesiculation in thehypocotyl and stem but less vesiculation in the root and cotyledon.No vesiculation was observed in barley and bean plants grownin the absence of sodium chloride though plants grown in thepresence of sodium chloride demonstrated vesiculation, morein barley than in bean. Both the halophyte and the glycophytesdemonstrated more pinocytosis in the plant tops than in theroot system. The multivesiculate structures observed were connectedto the wall free space at the early stages of their formationand have not been reported in plants under normal physiologicalconditions. The observations on pinocytosis are discussed in relation totoxic ion compartmentation and salt resistance in plants. |
