cryophyte

[ krahy-uh-fahyt ]

noun

1. any plant, as certain algae, mosses, fungi, and bacteria, that grows on ice or snow.
2. any low-growing, succulent, blooming plant of the genus Cryophytum (or Mesembryanthemum ), certain species of which form extensive mats along the southwestern coasts of the U.S.

cryophyte

/ ˈkraɪəˌfaɪt /

noun

1. an organism, esp an alga or moss, that grows on snow or ice

Word History and Origins

Origin of cryophyte¹

First recorded in 1905–10; cryo- + -phyte