heterophyte

[ het-er-uh-fahyt ]

noun

, Botany.

1. a plant that secures its nutrition directly or indirectly from other organisms; a parasite or saprophyte.

heterophyte

/ hĕt′ər-ə-fīt′ /

1. A plant that obtains its nourishment from other living or dead organisms. For example, Indian pipe is a pale white plant without chlorophyll that obtains its nutrition from fungal symbionts.
2. See also heterotroph

Other Words From

• het·er·o·phyt·ic [het-er-, uh, -, fit, -ik], adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of heterophyte¹

hetero- + -phyte