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ectophyte

American  
[ek-tuh-fahyt] / ˈɛk təˌfaɪt /

noun

  1. a parasitic plant growing on an animal or another plant.


ectophyte British  
/ ˌɛktəʊˈfɪtɪk, ˈɛktəʊˌfaɪt /

noun

  1. a parasitic plant that lives on the surface of its host

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

  • ectophytic adjective

Etymology

Origin of ectophyte

First recorded in 1880–85; ecto- + -phyte