glasswort
Coastal marsh plant
Glasswort is any of several fleshy, jointed plants that grow in salty marshes and coastal areas.
The name comes from the plant's historical use in glassmaking—when burned, glasswort produces soda ash, an essential ingredient in early glass production.
The succulent stems are sometimes eaten as a vegetable, where the plant may also be called samphire or sea asparagus.
We foraged glasswort from the salt flats and added it to our salad.
Coastal wetland with brackish water
- mudflatExposed shore sediment
- estuaryTidal mixing zone
- tidalOf sea rhythms
- shorelineLand-water boundary
intertidal · brackish · wetland · seashore · dune · littoral · marsh · sea lavender
Edible coastal cliff plant
- foragingSeeking wild food sources
- picklingAcid preservation process
- saladCold dressed vegetables
- culinaryRelated to cooking
wildcrafting · gourmet · umami · briny · crunchy · blanching · vinegar · seasonal
Able to withstand salinity
- salinityDissolved mineral concentration
- brackishMildly salty water
- osmoregulationMaintaining internal solute balance
- sodiumEleventh element, highly reactive
saltpan · ion-exchange · alkaline · hypersaline · salt gland
Thick with soft tissue
- jointedHaving flexible connections
- segmentedDivided into sections
- leaflessHaving no foliage
- cylindricalCircular in cross-section
branching · swollen · spongy · translucent · plump
saltmarsh
Coastal wetland with brackish water
shoreline · intertidal · brackish · wetland · seashore · dune · littoral · marsh · sea lavender · cordgrass
samphire
Edible coastal cliff plant
culinary · wildcrafting · gourmet · umami · briny · crunchy · blanching · vinegar · seasonal · garnish
salt-tolerant
Able to withstand salinity
- salinityDissolved mineral concentration
- brackishMildly salty water
- osmoregulationMaintaining internal solute balance
sodium · saltpan · ion-exchange · alkaline · hypersaline · salt gland
fleshy
Thick with soft tissue
cylindrical · branching · swollen · spongy · translucent · plump
glasswortxerophyte
Drought-tolerant plant species
saguaro · prickly pear · agave · aloe · tumbleweed