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apheliotropic

American  
[a-fee-lee-uh-trop-ik, -troh-pik, ap-hee-] / æˌfi li əˈtrɒp ɪk, -ˈtroʊ pɪk, æpˌhi- /

adjective

Botany.
  1. turning or growing away from the sun.


apheliotropic British  
/ əˌfiː-, æpˌhiːlɪˈɒtrəˌpɪzəm, əˌfiː-, æpˌhiːlɪəˈtrɒpɪk /

adjective

  1. biology growing in a direction away from the sunlight

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

  • apheliotropically adverb
  • apheliotropism noun

Etymology

Origin of apheliotropic

First recorded in 1875–80; ap- 2 + heliotropic

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Of the 54 cauterised radicles one case was doubtful, 25 curved themselves from the light in the normal manner, and 28, or more than half, were not in the least apheliotropic.

From The Power of Movement in Plants by Darwin, Charles

This is the case with the radicles of Sinapis alba, which are plainly apheliotropic; nevertheless, they grow quicker in darkness than in light.*

From The Power of Movement in Plants by Darwin, Charles

The sub-aërial roots observed by Wiesner were all apheliotropic, and this, no doubt, is of use in bringing them into contact with trunks of trees or surfaces of rock, as is their habit.

From The Power of Movement in Plants by Darwin, Charles

Both tracings showed that the apheliotropic movement was a modified form of circumnutation.

From The Power of Movement in Plants by Darwin, Charles

Dahlia, circumnutation of young leaves, 244-246 Dalea alopecuroides, leaflets depressed at night, 354 Darkness, effect of, on the movement of leaves, 407 Darlingtonia Californica, its leaves or pitchers apheliotropic, 450, n.

From The Power of Movement in Plants by Darwin, Charles