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Definition

noun, plural: hydrophytes

(botany) Any plant adapted to grow wholly or partly submerged in water or wet habitats; an aquatic plant; a wetland plant

Supplement

Examples of hydrophytes are lotus and water hyacinths. Some of the major features of hydrophytes are as follows:

• reduced/thin cuticle
• leaf stomates are fewer in number than those of terrestrial plants
• floating leaves have stomates confined on the upper epidermal layer whereas submerged leaves mostly lack stomata
• reduced root system
• with air sacs, and less vascular tissue, essential for flotation

Word origin: Greek hýdōr (water) + Greek phuton (plant)

Compare:

• xerophyte
• mesophyte