therophyte

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therophyte One of Raunkiaer's life-form categories, being a plant that completes its life cycle rapidly during periods when conditions are favourable and survives unfavourable conditions (e.g. cold, heat, or competition) as seed; it is thus an annual or ephemeral plant. Therophytes are very typical of desert environments and cultivated land. Compare chamaeophyte; cryptophyte; hemicryptophyte; and phanerophyte.

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