lithophyte

American  

[lith-uh-fahyt] / ˈlɪθ əˌfaɪt /

noun

1. Zoology. a polyp with a hard or stony structure, as a coral.

2. Botany. any plant growing on the surface of rocks.

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lithophyte British  

/ ˌlɪθəˈfɪtɪk, ˈlɪθəˌfaɪt /

noun

1. a plant that grows on rocky or stony ground

2. an organism, such as a coral, that is partly composed of stony material

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lithophyte Scientific  

/ lĭth′ə-fīt′ /

1. A plant that grows on rock and derives its nourishment chiefly from the atmosphere.

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Other Word Forms

• lithophytic
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of lithophyte

First recorded in 1765–75; litho- + -phyte

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

lithophyte

We detached some blocks containing oysters eight inches in diameter, pectens, venuses, and lithophyte polypi.

From Personal Narrative of Travels to the Equinoctial Regions of America, During the Year 1799-1804 — Volume 3 by Humboldt, Alexander von