Resurrection plant

Desiccation tolerance is common in seeds but rare in the vegetative tissues of most land plants. Many resurrection plants degrade chlorophyll and dismantle the photosynthetic apparatus during dehydration to avoid photooxidative damage, rebuilding these systems after rehydration. These coordinated responses allow cells to survive in a near-complete absence of cellular water and rapidly resume function when rehydrated. ==Distribution and diversity==

Approximately 1,300 species of resurrection plants have been identified, spanning mosses, ferns, and angiosperms. Resurrection plants are often associated with habitats characterized by intermittent water availability and rapid drying cycles. They are typically found in arid and semi-arid environments, particularly on exposed rock outcrops with shallow soils. Southern Africa is considered a global center of diversity for resurrection plants. ==Examples==

Examples include: • Asplenium ceterach • Asteriscus (plant); • Dorcoceras hygrometrica, • Craterostigma, members of the Linderniaceae/Scrophulariaceae with snapdragon-like flowers • Haberlea rhodopensis • Mesembryanthemum, the plant can revive within a short period of time after a drought • Myrothamnus flabellifolius, a plant species native to Southern Africa • Pleopeltis polypodioides, also known as resurrection fern • Ramonda serbica, a species in the family Gesneriaceae • Selaginella lepidophylla, a plant species native to North America, Central and South America, and sold as a novelty • Tillandsia • Xerophyta, a monocotyledonous genus of 57 species typically occurring on rock outcrops in Southern African grasslands Certain resurrection plants, particularly Selaginella lepidophylla, have long been sold in their desiccated, dormant form as curiosities, reviving when exposed to water. This practice was noted in 19th-century botanical literature and continues today. ==Potential applications==

The mechanisms underlying desiccation tolerance in resurrection plants have attracted interest for improving drought and desiccation tolerance in crop species. ==See also==