Final answer:
Expressions like 'no cake walk' and 'not for the faint-hearted' emphasize the difficulties of desert living, highlighting the crucial adaptations like hair on leaves and a thick cuticle that desert plants have developed to conserve water and survive extreme conditions.
Step-by-step explanation:
Expressions such as no cake walk and not for the faint-hearted are often used to convey the challenging conditions that must be overcome in certain scenarios. In the context of desert plants, these phrases highlight the dangerous aspects of living in the desert. To survive in such harsh environments, plants have developed various adaptations to cope with the extreme conditions. These adaptations include hair on leaves, which can reduce water loss by trapping a layer of still air around the leaf surface, thus reducing transpiration. A thick cuticle serves a similar purpose by providing a barrier against water loss. Some plants, like cacti, have evolved to perform photosynthesis in their stems and store water, allowing them to sustain themselves with minimal water. These adaptations are crucial for desert plants to survive the low precipitation and extreme temperatures characteristic of desert habitats.