sclerophylly

[ skleer-uh-fil-ee ]

noun

, Botany.

1. the normal development of much sclerenchyma in the leaves of certain plants, as some desert plants, resulting in thickened, hardened foliage that resists loss of moisture.

Word History and Origins

Origin of sclerophylly¹

First recorded in 1900–05; sclero- + -phyll + -y ³