What is "xerophyte"

1897, from xero- + Greek phyton "a plant" (see phyto-).

n. 1 (context botany English) Any plant suited for life in a habitat where water is scarce, such as in a desert or chaparral. Such plants may be succulent, have small or reduced leaves, or spines. 2 A desert plant

n. plant adapted for life with a limited supply of water; compare hydrophyte and mesophyte [syn: desert plant, xerophytic plant, xerophile, xerophilous plant]

A xerophyte (from Greek xero dry, phuton plant) is a species of plant that has adapted to survive in an environment with little liquid water, such as a desert or an ice- or snow-covered region in the Alps or the Arctic.

The morphology and physiology of xerophytes are variously adapted to conserve water, and commonly also to store large quantities of water, during dry periods. Other species may be adapted to survive long periods of desiccation of their tissues, during which their metabolic activity may effectively shut down. Plants with such morphological and physiological adaptations are .