Recent research on the photosynthetic mechanisms of plant species in the Chenopodiaceae family revealed that three species, including Bienertia sinuspersici, can carry out C(4) photosynthesis within individual photosynthetic cells, through the development of two cytoplasmic domains having dimorphic chloroplasts. These unusual single-cell C(4) species grow in semi-arid saline conditions and have semi-terete succulent leaves. The effects of salinity on growth and photosynthesis of B. sinuspersici were studied. The results show that NaCl is not required for development of the single-cell C(4) system. There is a large enhancement of growth in culture with 50-200 mM NaCl, while there is severe inhibition at 400 mM NaCl. With increasing salinity, the carbon isotope values (δ(13)C) of leaves increased from -17.3(o)/(oo) (C(4)-like) without NaCl to -14.6(o)/(oo) (C(4)) with 200 mM NaCl, possibly due to increased capture of CO(2) from the C(4) cycle by Rubisco and reduced leakiness. Compared to growth without NaCl, leaves of plants grown under saline conditions were much larger (~2 fold) and more succulent, and the leaf solute levels increased up to ~2000 mmol kg solvent(-1). Photosynthesis on an incident leaf area basis (CO(2) saturated rates, and carboxylation efficiency under limiting CO(2)) and stomatal conductance declined with increasing salinity. On a leaf area basis, there was some decline in Rubisco content with increasing salinity up to 200 mM NaCl, but there was a marked increase in the levels of pyruvate, Pi dikinase, and phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase (possibly in response to sensitivity of these enzymes and C(4) cycle function to increasing salinity). The decline in photosynthesis on a leaf area basis was compensated for on a per leaf basis, up to 200 mM NaCl, by the increase in leaf size. The influence of salinity on plant development and the C(4) system in Bienertia is discussed.