Plant phenotypes are controlled both by its genetic and environmental factors. Desert plants are of similar adaptation ways to their extremely arid living conditions as far as their morphological traits, life history strategies, photosynthesis characteristics, alkaloid accumulation and stress shock proteins induction are concerned, which can deepen our recognition of the mutual relationship between plants and their habitats, can help us to find and select some functional genes to improve the capability of photosynthesis and the resistance to environmental stresses of some important crops, and can illustrate us a reasonable way to find some special natural productions of plants under extremely arid conditions. It is also of some important reference value in ecological restoration in arid regions.