Cryophyte

/ˈkraɪoʊfaɪt/ noun

Definition

a plant that can survive and grow in extremely cold or frozen environments.

Etymology

From Greek 'kryos' (cold) + 'phyte' (plant), following the pattern of '-phyte' plant names like 'epiphyte' (plant that grows on other plants).

Kelly Says

Arctic mosses and lichens are cryophytes that grow so slowly—sometimes just millimeters per year—that some patches in the Arctic Circle might be thousands of years old and still look tiny.

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