lithophyte

lithophyte [lith-uh-fahyt] ExamplesWord Origin noun

1. Zoology. a polyp with a hard or stony structure, as a coral.
2. Botany. any plant growing on the surface of rocks.

Origin of lithophyte First recorded in 1765–75; litho- + -phyte Related formslith·o·phyt·ic [lith-uh-fit-ik] /ˌlɪθ əˈfɪt ɪk/, adjective Examples from the Web for lithophyte Historical Examples of lithophyte

Lithophyte, lith′o-fīt, n. any one of the polyps whose substance is stony or hard, as corals.

Chambers’s Twentieth Century Dictionary (part 2 of 4: E-M)

Various

British Dictionary definitions for lithophyte lithophyte 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

Derived Formslithophytic (ˌlɪθəˈfɪtɪk), adjective lithophyte in Science lithophyte [lĭth′ə-fīt′]

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