sclerophylly

American  

[skleer-uh-fil-ee] / ˈsklɪər əˌfɪl i /

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.

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Etymology

Origin of sclerophylly

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