sclerophyllousadj.
/sklɪəˈrɒfɪləs/ Botany.
Pertaining to or designating woody evergreen plants having leaves that are hard and tough, and usually small and thick, so reducing the rate of loss of water; characterized by such plants.
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the world > plants > by habitat or distribution > [adjective] > that thrives or does not thrive in moisture
fenny1543
plashy1822
inundatal1847
paludal1847
hygrophilous1863
uliginal1863
xerophilous1863
uliginose1866
xerophil1884
ombrophilous1895
ombrophobic1895
ombrophobous1895
xerophytic1897
sclerophyllous1903
xeromorphic1909
hydrarch1913
xerarch1913
ombrophile1924
sclerophyll1926
hygrophytic1936
xerophilic1961
1903 W. R. Fisher tr. A. F. W. Schimper Plant-geogr. v. 507 The mild temperate districts with winter rain and prolonged summer drought are the home of evergreen xerophilous woody plants, which, owing to the stiffness of their thick, leathery leaves, may be termed sclerophyllous woody plants.
1903 W. R. Fisher tr. A. F. W. Schimper Plant-geogr. v. 516 The best known districts inhabited by sclerophyllous woods are the coasts of the Mediterranean Sea.
1926 A. G. Tansley & T. F. Chipp Aims & Methods Study Vegetation ii. 26 The dominance of [s] clerophyllous trees or shrubs (rather small hard evergreen leaves) indicates a moderate rainfall mainly concentrated in the winter half of the year, which is mild, and a hot dry summer.
1961 Times 12 Apr. 3/2 (advt.) The Department is noted for its research in..plant ecology (with emphasis on sclerophyllous and arid plants).
1973 J. Wieser tr. Walter Vegetation of Earth iv. iii. 127 The roots of sclerophyllous species reach far down into the ground because the upper soil layers are usually completely dried out in summer.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1982; most recently modified version published online June 2018).
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adj.1903