sclerophylly

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

noun Botany.

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.

Origin of sclerophylly

First recorded in 1900–05; sclero- + -phyll + -y3