| 释义 |
epiphyte|ˈɛpɪfaɪt|
[f. Gr. ἐπί upon + ϕυτόν plant.]
1. Bot. A plant which grows on another plant; usually restricted to those which derive only support (and not nutrition) from the plants on which they grow.
1861Miss Pratt Flower. Pl. III. 385 Mosses, lichens..are termed false parasites or epiphytes. 1874Coues Birds N.W. 181 The true epiphytes, like the mistletoe, drawing sap directly from the other plants upon which they fix. 1879Cassell's Techn. Educ. I. 91/2 The Vanilla is an epiphyte, or air-plant.
fig.1878M. & F. Collins Vill. Comedy II. viii. 91 She, a fragile epiphyte, unable to exist alone, fell into the hands of an adroit unscrupulous villain.
2. Path. A vegetable parasite on the surface of an animal body.
1847–9Todd Cycl. Anat. IV. 144/1 Gruby detected epiphytes in sycosis. |