cryophyte: Meaning and Definition of

cry•o•phyte

Pronunciation: (krī'u-fīt"), [key]
— n.
  1. any plant, as certain algae, mosses, fungi, and bacteria, that grows on ice or snow.
  2. any low-growing, succulent, blooming plant of the genus Cryophytum (or Mesembryanthemum), certain species of which form extensive mats along the southwestern coasts of the U.S.
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.