Matthiola sinuata is a plant typical of the sandy shoree. It is found on or just above the high water line, often accompanied by Medicago marina and the closely related Matthiola tricuspidata. Its leaves are pale green, thickened, covered in tiny hairs and with undulated edges, all adaptions to withstand high levels of light and heat. As a beach dweller, it will also have metabolic strategies to deal with high salt levels.