geophyte

[ jee-uh-fahyt ]
/ ˈdʒi əˌfaɪt /

noun Botany.

a plant propagated by means of underground buds.

Origin of geophyte

First recorded in 1895–1900; geo- + -phyte

OTHER WORDS FROM geophyte

ge·o·phyt·ic [jee-uh-fit-ik] /ˌdʒi əˈfɪt ɪk/, adjective

Words nearby geophyte

geophagy, geophilous, geophone, geophysical, geophysics, geophyte, geopolitical, geopolitics, geoponic, geoponics, geopotential

British Dictionary definitions for geophyte

geophyte
/ (ˈdʒiːəʊˌfaɪt) /

noun

a perennial plant that propagates by means of buds below the soil surface

Derived forms of geophyte

geophytic (ˌdʒiːəʊˈfɪtɪk), adjective

Scientific definitions for geophyte

geophyte
[ jē′ə-fīt′ ]

A perennial plant with an underground food storage organ, such as a bulb, tuber, corm, or rhizome. The parts of the plant that grow above ground die away during adverse conditions, as in winter or during the dry season, and grow again from buds that are on or within the underground portion when conditions improve. Crocuses and tulips are geophytes.