megathermicadj.
/ˌmɛɡəˈθəːmɪk/, U.S. /ˌmɛɡəˈθərmɪk/ Ecology.
Designating, relating to, or consisting of a plant or plants requiring a very warm habitat; (of a climate or habitat) characterized by or appropriate to megatherms, very warm.
ΘΚΠ
the world > plants > by habitat or distribution > [adjective] > that requires or tolerates heat
mesotherm1875
megathermic1903
mesothermic1903
megatherm1930
thermotolerant1940
1903 W. R. Fisher tr. A. F. W. Schimper Plant-geogr. 226 The megathermic flora is already perceptibly impoverished.
1960 N. Polunin Introd. Plant Geogr. xvi. 528 They [sc. algae] may..be divided according to their temperature requirements into eurytherms and stenotherms, the latter being composed of micro-, meso- and mega-thermic species.
1972 Jrnl. Ecol. 60 384 Fig 12(a) shows the megathermic tropical climate where this formation occurs.
1987 Austral. Jrnl. Zool. 35 575 The flora and fauna of Australia may be classified as Torresian, Bassian or Eyrean with various elaborations, or as megathermic, mesothermic or microthermic.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, June 2001; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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adj.1903