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xerophyte
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agave echeveria succulent
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agave
agave Agave shawii growing in a desert in Baja California.

xerophyte

plant
Also known as: xeromorphic plant
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echeveria succulent
echeveria succulentEcheveria, a succulent plant with thick fleshy leaves and epicuticular waxes.

xerophyte, any plant adapted to life in a dry or physiologically dry habitat (salt marsh, saline soil, or acid bog) by means of mechanisms to prevent water loss or to store available water. Succulents (plants that store water) such as cacti and agaves have thick, fleshy stems or leaves. Other xerophytic adaptations include waxy leaf coatings, the ability to drop leaves during dry periods, the ability to reposition or fold leaves to reduce sunlight absorption, and the development of a dense, hairy leaf covering.

This article was most recently revised and updated by Robert Curley.