The Collaborative International Dictionary
Saprophytic
Saprophytic \Sap`ro*phyt"ic\, a. Feeding or growing upon decaying animal or vegetable matter; pertaining to a saprophyte or the saprophytes.
Douglas Harper's Etymology Dictionary
saprophytic
1872; see saprophyte + -ic.
Wiktionary
saprophytic
a. Relating to saprophytes.
WordNet
saprophytic
adj. obtaining food osmotically from dissolved organic material
(of some plants or fungi) feeding on dead or decaying organic matter
Usage examples of "saprophytic".
In such event, about the only thing to be done was to flush out the bubble to kill off the mutated strain, repressure, flood it with saprophytic agents to digest the refuse, and start over.