protophyticadj.
/ˌprəʊtə(ʊ)ˈfɪtɪk/, U.S. /ˌproʊdoʊˈfɪdɪk/, /ˌproʊdəˈfɪdɪk/ Botany. Now rare.
Belonging or relating to the class Protophyta. Cf. protophyte n.
ΘΚΠ
the world > plants > part of plant > cell or aggregate tissue > plant characterized by cells > [adjective]
protophytic1849
macrophytic1900
gigas1915
1849 Lancet 3 Nov. 482/2 The singular prevalence of malarious diseases in the autumn is best explained by supposing them to be produced by the fungi, which grow most commonly at the same season. The season of greatest protophytic activity is, in every country, the period of the greatest malarious disturbance.
1869 Amer. Naturalist 3 557 The qualities of the substance,..which is a great enemy of all protozoic and protophytic life, depend upon its powerful action in destroying the germs associated with..decomposition.
1894 Bot. Gaz. 19 28 Examination of the soil surface in which the plant grew showed a similar protophytic flora.
1907 Science 3 May 696/2 Passing to yellow fever, the speaker thought that..the present indications remain in favour of a protozoal rather than protophytic origin.
2001 Marine Micropaleontol. 43 224/1 Bolboforma comprises a group of marine microfossils of uncertain origin with affinites to protophytic algae.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, September 2007; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
<
adj.1849