Hypertonic is when the there is more salt outside the cell than in the cell . When a plant cell is placed in a hypertonic solution , the water in the cells moves to an area higher in solute concentration and the cell shrinks , and in doing so , becomes flaccid . This means the cell has become plasmolysed â `` the cell membrane has completely left the cell wall due to lack of water pressure on it ; the opposite of turgid .