User:SP-KP/-phyte

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Top - Introduction - Etymology - List of botanical terms ending in -phyte
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Other terms ending in -phyte - See also - References

The suffix -phyte is used primarily as a tool in botany to form words used for categorizing plants based on their evolutionary origin, life-history, growth-form or ecological preferences; the main purpose of this article is to provide a single point of reference for these terms. The suffix has been used in particular to form names of subdivisions of the plants and algae and to name the life-form groupings of the Raunkiær system (Raunkiær 1934).

Some terms are also used (with a corresponding meaning) in mycology or zoology; these are indicated.

The suffix has also been used in medicine and other contexts; see the section Other terms ending in -phyte at the end of the article.

Such words are formed from Greek or Latin roots with the terminal -phyte ("_____-phyte" basically means "_____ plant".)

This list is incomplete; you can help by adding missing items.

For ease of use, dummy entries for all other "phytes" are included in this list, but definitions are in the "other -phytes" section at the end of this article

• Acidophyte is a term used in conjunction with the use of lichens to monitor air pollution (see van Herk 1999) TBC

• An acrophyte is an alpine plant (synonym coryphophyte)

• For actiphyte, see Other terms ending in -phyte below

• An actophyte is a plant found growing on rocky shorelines

• An aerophyte is a plant which obtains all of its nourishment from the air (also called an airplant)

• An agrophyte is an agricultural plant

• An aigiaphyte is a plant found growing on beaches or strandlines

• An aiphyllophyte is a plant found growing in evergreen forests

• An aithalophyte is a plant found growing in evergreen thickets

• An aletophyte is a ruderal or wayside plant (synonym chomaphyte)

• An alsophyte is a grove plant

• An amathophyte is a plant found growing on sand-plains

• An ammochthophyte is a plant found growing on sand-banks

• An amphiphyte is an amphibious plant

• An ancophyte is a canyon plant

• An anecophyte is a plant found only in human-created habitats throughout its range - known colloquially as "homeless plants" - many arable weeds fall into this category (see Zohary 1962)

• An anemophyte is a "blow-out" plant i.e. a plant found growing in hollows created by wind in sand-dunes

• An anthophyte (sometimes spelt 'antophyte') is a flowering plant

• An anthropophyte is a plant introduced via cultivation

• For antophyte, see Anthophyte above

• An apophyte is a native plant that has invaded abandoned fields

• For Aquaphyte, see Other terms ending in -phyte below

• The term archaeophyte is defined as a plant which was introduced to an area by humans (or arrived naturally, but from an area in which it was present as a human introduction) and became naturalised before AD 1500 (cf. neophyte).

• For aromaphyte, see Other terms ending in -phyte below

• The term arthrophyte refers to a plant which is a member of the Arthrophyta (but see also Other terms ending in -phyte below)

• An autophyte is a plant capable of synthesizing its own food from simple organic substances (cf. saprophyte)

• A bacillariophyte is a member of the diatoms

• A bathyphyte is a plant found typically or exclusively in lowlands

• A benthophyte is a plant living at the bottom of a body of water or in the bed of a river

• A benthopheustophyte is any large plant resting freely on the floor of a lake but capable of drifting slowly with the lake's currents

• A biophyte is a plant which consumes other living organisms

• A bryophyte is a non-vascular plant, such as a moss

• A calciphyte is a plant which thrives in, or is adapted to living in soils rich in calcium carbonate (a synonym of calcicole)

• Carophyte is a variant of or spelling error for "charophyte" below.

• A chamaephyte is a low-growing perennial plant whose living structures are therefore visible all year round and whose dormant overwintering buds are borne at or just above the surface of the ground

• A chamerophyte is a herbaceous or woody plant which has its overwintering buds at or just above the soil surface

• A charophyte is a member of the Charophyta, a group of green algae

• A chasmophyte is a plant tolerant of or adapted to growing on vertical cliff faces

• A chlorophyte is a member of the green algae

• Chlorarachniophytes are a group of photosynthetic amoebae

• For chondrophyte, see Other terms ending in -phyte below

• A chromophyte is a member of the Chromista

• A chrysophyte is a member of the golden algae

• A coniferophyte is a conifer

• For cophyte, see Other terms ending in -phyte below

• A coprophyte is a plant which feeds on dung

• A cormophyte is a land plant belonging to the former botanical division Cormophyta, having a stem and root system

• A coryphophyte is an alpine plant (synonym acrophyte)

• For Cosmophyte, see Other terms ending in -phyte below

• A craspedophyte is an older name for a choanoflagellate, which were previously considered relatives of the golden algae

• The term cryophyte has two meanings (but see also Other terms ending in -phyte below)

1. a plant that grows on ice or snow (see cryophyte).
2. a plant of the genus Cryophytum

• A cryptophyte is a plant in which the buds are covered with soil or water (geophytes, helophytes and hydrophytes are all classes of cryptophyte). Cryptophyte also refers to the cryptomonads, a group of single-celled algae

• A cuprophyte is a plant which is adapted to living in, or tolerant of, soils with high copper levels

• A cyanophyte is an older name for a member of the cyanobacteria

• A cycadophyte is a cycad

• A dendrophyte is a plant found growing in an orchard

• For dermatophyte, see Other terms ending in -phyte below

• For dermophyte, see Other terms ending in -phyte below

• A dictyochophyte is a member of the axodines, or more particularly the silicoflagellates, a group of heterokont algae

• A dinophyte or pyrrhophyte is a member of the dinoflagellates, a group of unicellular algae

• For diplophyte, see Other terms ending in -phyte below

• For discophyte, see Other terms ending in -phyte below

• A dissophyte - not to be confused with dyssophyte (q.v.) - is a plant whose shoots are xerophytic (q.v.), but whose roots are mesophytic (q.v.)

• A drimyphyte is a salt-plant

• A dyssophyte - not to be confused with dissophyte (q.v.) - is a plant which can behave either as a hydrophyte (q.v.) or an epiphyte (q.v.)

• For Ecophyte, see Other terms ending in -phyte below

• The term ectophyte has two similar meanings (but see also Other terms ending in -phyte below):
  • it describes the parts of a parasitic plant (e.g. stem, leaves, flowers) that occur outside the host plant (c.f. endophyte)
  • it refers to a parasitic plant which lives solely on the surface of its host, without penetrating its tissue

• An edaphophyte is a plant with its roots in soil and its shoots in the air

• For electrophyte, see Other terms ending in -phyte below

• An embryophyte is a complex multicellular plant, as opposed to algae

• An emophyte is a plant which is completely submerged, and has no functional stomata

• An endophyte (c.f. ectophyte) is a parasitic or symbiotic organism (plant, animal or fungus) which lives entirely within its host plant, for at least part of its lifecycle

• For Entero-Phyte, see Other terms ending in -phyte below

• An entomophyte is a plant living within or on the body of an insect (synonym entophyte)

• For entophyte, see entomophyte above

• An eophyte is a fossil plant which is found in the lowest beds of the Silurian age

• An epiphyte is a plant that grows upon or attached to another living plant

• An ergasialipophyte is a plant which is a relic of cultivation

• An ergasiapophyte is a plant colonizing cultivated fields

• An ergasiophygophte is a plant which is a fugitive from cultivation

• An ergasiophyte is a foreign cultivated plant deliberately introduced

• An ergasiphyte is a foreign cultivated plant

• A euglenophyte is a member of the euglenids, a group of single-celled algae

• A europhyte is a plant which grows in leaf mould

• Eustigmatophytes are a small group of heterokont algae

• For exophyte, see Other terms ending in -phyte below

• For Exze-Phyte, see Other terms ending in -phyte below

• A gametophyte is the haploid life-stage in a plant which practises alternation of generations; in flowering plants this term is used to refer to the plant's haploid structures (q.v. microgametophyte, macrogametophyte)

• For genophyte, see Other terms ending in -phyte below

• A geophyte is a plant which has underground storage organs

• A ginkgophyte is a Ginkgo tree, or one of its extinct relatives

• Glaucophytes or glaucocystophytes are a small group of single-celled algae

• A glycophyte is a plant adapted to nonsaline soil

• A gypsophyte is a plant adapted to chalk or limestone

• A halophyte is a plant which is tolerant of saline conditions, or adapted to a saline soil or soil influenced by salt water

• A haplophyte is a plant which has the same number of chromosomes as are characteristic for the organism's gametes

• Haptophytes or prymnesiophytes are a group of single-celled algae

• A heliophyte is a plant which thrives in or tolerates full sunlight (cf. Ombrophyte, Sciophyte/Skiophyte)

• A helophyte is a marsh plant (synonymous with limnodophyte)

• Hemerophyte is a generic term for a plant introduced by humans

• For hemaphyte and hemophyte, see Other terms ending in -phyte below

• A hemicryptophyte is a herbaceous plant which has its wintering buds at or just above the soil surface

• A heterokontophyte is any heterokont alga

• A heterophyte is a generic term for a plant which is dependent on another for its nutrition (cf autophyte)

• A hydrogeophyte is a geophyte (q.v.) which grows in aquatic environments (e.g. water lilies)

• A hydrohemicryptophyte is an aquatic hemicryptophyte (q.v.)

• The term hydrophyte has two meanings:
  • a free-floating water plant
  • a plant adapted to high moisture levels (c.f. mesophyte, xerophyte)

• A hydrotherophyte is an aquatic therophyte (q.v.)

• A hygrophyte is a plant which thrives in very wet soil and/or is more or less restricted to moist sites

• For Inophyte, see Other terms ending in -phyte below

• A kenapophyte is a plant which has colonised cleared land

• A leimonapophyte is a plant which has been introduced into grassland

• Limnodophyte is a term for a marsh plant (synonymous with helophyte)

• Limnophyte is a term for a plant which grows in or on mud

• A lithophyte is a plant growing on rock or on rocky soil

• A lycophyte or lycopodiophyte is a member of the Lycopodiophyta

• For lycopodiophyte, see lycophyte above

• A macrophanerophyte

• A macrophyte is a plant large enough to be seen with the naked eye, as distinct from the many microscopic algae

• A magnoliophyte is a member of the Magnoliophyta (also known as angiosperms - the flowering plants)

• For Mediaphyte see Other terms ending in -phyte below

• A megagametophyte a gametophyte that produces female gametes (eggs).

• Megaphyte is term used to refer to plants which typically have unbranched stems or trunks, which bear a crown of very large leaves, and often also possess a massive inflorescence.

• A melangeophyte is a plant growing in loam or alluvium

• A mesophanerophyte

• A mesohydrophyte is a plant whose tolerance to moisture is intermediate between that of a mesophyte (q.v.) and a hydrophyte (q.v.)

• A mesophyte is a plant adapted to medium moisture levels (c.f. hydrophyte, xerophyte)

• A mesoxerophyte is a plant whose tolerance to moisture is intermediate between that of a mesophyte (q.v.) and a xerophyte (q.v.)

• A metallophyte is a plant which is tolerant of substrates with a high metal content; metallophytes are divided into obligate metallophytes (which require such a substrate) and pseudometallophytes (q.v.)

• A metaphyte is a multicellular plant

• A microgametophyte is a gametophyte that produces male gametes (sperm).

• A microphyte is a microscopic, usually unicellular, plant

• A microphanerophyte

• Used as an adjective monophyte means "composed of a single plant species"

• For Mycophyte, see Other terms ending in -phyte below

• A mycoheterophyte is a plant which obtains its nutrients from mycorrhizal fungus, which is often in turn parasitic on a photosynthetic plant (mycoheterophytes are thus indirectly parasitic on other plants; they are also known as epiparasites)

• A myrmecophyte is a plant that lives in association with a colony of ants and possesses specialized organs in which the ants live.

• A nanophanerophyte

• A nanophyte

• A neophyte

• A neurophyte

• A nitrophyte

• An oceanophyte is a plant growing in the ocean

• The term ombrophyte has two meanings:

1. a plant which thrives in or tolerates shade (cf. heliophyte)
2. a plant capable of withstanding a lot of rain

• An oophyte

• An orophyte is a plant inhabiting hills and mountains

• For osteophyte, see Other terms ending in -phyte below

• An oxyphyte is a plant growing in soil which lacks oxygen

• An oxylophyte is a plant adapted to acid soils

• A paleophyte

• A paraphyte

• Pelagophytes are a small group of heterokont algae

• A phaeophyte or fucophyte is a member of the brown algae

• Phaeothamniophytes are a small group of heterokont algae

• A phanerophyte is a tall-growing plant with living structures visible all year

• A phorophyte

• A photophyte

• A phreatophyte is a deep-rooted plant that obtains water from a permanent ground supply or from the water table (or soil just above it)

• A phycophyte

• A phytophyte

• A pinophyte

• A plotophyte is a floating plant, with stomata on its upper leaf surface only

• A prasinophyte

• A prophyte

• A protophyte

• A pseudometallophyte is a plant which can tolerate (but does not require) a substrate with a high metal content (c. f. metallophyte)

• A pseudophyte

• A psilophyte is a member of the division Psilophyta

• A psilotophyte

• A psychrophyte

• A pteridophyte

• A pterophyte

• A pyrophyte is a woody plant which has unusual resistance to fire e.g. because of exceptionally thick bark, or a competitive advantage over other plants following a fire e.g. because fire acts as a catalyst to fertile culm production (but see also Other terms ending in -phyte below)

• Raphidophytes are a small group of heterokont algae

• A rhodophyte is a member of the red algae

• A saprophyte is an organism, especially a fungus or bacterium, that grows on and derives its nourishment from dead or decaying organic matter.

• Sarcophyte is a genus of plants in the family Balanophoraceae

• A sciophyte (also spelt 'skiophyte') is a plant which thrives in or tolerates shade (synonymous with ombrophyte, cf. heliophyte)

• For skiophyte, see sciophyte above

• A sphenophyte is a member of the Sphenophyta

• A spiladophyte is a plant which is adapted to growing in, or is tolerant of, clay

• A sporophyte

• A streptophyte is a member of the Streptophyta

• For Superphyte, see Other terms ending in -phyte below

• A synurophyte is a member of the synurids, a small group of heterokont algae

• Thallophyte is a term for a member of the Thallophyta, a former subdivision of the plant kingdom used to group relatively simple plants with undifferentiated tissue.

• A therophyte is a plant which survives between favourable seasons in the form of a seed; the therophytes form one of the categories of the Raunkiær system.

• Tracheophyte is a term which is synonymous with vascular plant (from the former botanical division Tracheophyta)

• A tropophyte is a plant adapted to climatic conditions in which periods of heavy rainfall alternate with periods of drought

• Ultraphyte is a fictional UV-photosynthetic creature from outer space, in the novel The Highest Frontier by Joan Slonczewski.

• A xanthophyte or tribophyte is a member of the yellow-green algae

• A xenophyte is an alien plant, one that is not found naturally in the geographical area under discussion (but see also Other terms ending in -phyte below)

• A xerophyte is a plant adapted to survive in very dry situations (c.f. hydrophyte, mesophyte)

• A Xeropoophyte is a heathland plant

• A Xeroxylophyte is a dry forest plant

• For Zemaphyte, see Other terms ending in -phyte below

• For zoophyte, see Other terms ending in -phyte below

• A zygophyte

• A zyophyte Is any plant of a proposed class or grand division (Zygophytes, Zygophyta, or Zygosporeae), in which reproduction consists in the union of two similar cells. Cf. Oophyte.

• An ectophyte is an animal which is phytophagous but which feeds only on the surface of plants, and does not penetrate their tissue

• An endophyte is an animal that lives within a plant for at least part of its life without causing apparent disease.

• Zoophyte is a term which refers to any of various invertebrate animals resembling a plant, such as a sea anemone or coral or sponge (and also an Australian band - see Zoophyte)

• In addition to its use as a botanical term (see above), arthrophyte is a term used for an abnormal growth in a joint cavity

• A chondrophyte is an abnormal cartilaginous mass that develops at the articular surface of a bone

• A dermatophyte or dermophyte is a fungal parasite on the skin

• Discophyte is a term used in neurology

• Exophyte is term which relates to tumours

• An osteophyte is an abnormal bony projection which forms on a joint (often due to arthritis)

• Aquaphyte is the newsletter of the Center for Aquatic Plants and the Aquatic Plant Information Retrieval System (APIRS) of the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (IFAS).

• The term actiphyte is used in relation to cosmetics

• The term aromaphyte is used in relation to aromatherapy

• phyto-
• The Raunkiær system.
• -zoan

• Van Herk, C.M., (1999) Mapping of Ammonia Pollution with Epiphytic Lichens in the Netherlands Lichenologist 31 (1) 9-20.
• Raunkiær, Christen C. (1934) The Life Forms of Plants and Statistical Plant Geography, published by Oxford University Press.
• Zohary, M. (1962) Plant life of Palestine, published by Ronald Press Co.

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