Definition of sclerophyll in English:
sclerophyll
noun ˈsklɪərəfɪlˈsklɛrəfɪlˈskli(ə)rəˌfil
Botany A woody plant with evergreen leaves that are tough and thick in order to reduce water loss.
Example sentencesExamples
- The arid scenery rushed past me, sclerophyll trees and forests speeding by the window at what seemed a rate of knots.
- Evergreen sclerophylls and drought semi-deciduous shrubs that shed their leaves during dry periods are the dominant plants in this region.
- As settlement spread inland, vast forests of eucalypts and other sclerophylls were discovered, but no further easily worked species.
- A higher mesophyll resistance in woody plants than in herbs, and in sclerophylls than in mesophytes, has been reported.
- Evergreen sclerophylls are regarded as one of the most typical components of the Mediterranean-type vegetation.
Derivatives
adjective sklɪəˈrɒfɪləs
Botany Common box is a sclerophyllous evergreen species that forms small trees or shrubs.
Example sentencesExamples
- The latter zone refers to the sclerophyllous vegetation designated as Macchia.
- At higher elevations in the tropical alpine belt, sclerophyllous shrubs, tussock grasses, cushion plants, and giant rosette plants with marked scleromorphic features are the dominant life forms.
- All experiments were conducted between June and July 2002 on 1-year-old leaves of P. laurocerasus (a broad-leaved sclerophyllous evergreen).
- It is a large, evergreen, sclerophyllous, leguminous tree of slow growth, great longevity and an extended flowering period.
Origin
Early 20th century: from Greek sklēros 'hard' + phullon 'leaf'.