Hairy leaves may reduce evapotranspiration, may help gather moisture from the air, and may reflect a small portion of incoming solar radiation thereby reducing the plants internal temperature. They are often very low in height with prostrate stems and spread by rooting at the nodes and may have deep tap roots, both rooting systems helping to anchor the shifting sands as the plants colonize the beach above high tide.
Hairy leaves can reduce water loss from plants, aid in moisture absorption, and reflect sunlight to lower plant temperatures. They are typically low-growing with prostrate stems and spread by growing roots at nodes, which also anchor them in shifting sands as they colonize the beach above high tide.