cryptophyte One of Raunkiaer's life-form categories, being a plant in which the perennating bud lies below the ground or water surface. The groups geophytes, helophytes, and hydrophytes are distinguished by the environment in which the perennating bud is found, i.e. land, marsh, and water respectively. Compare HEMICRYPTOPHYTE; CHAMAEOPHYTE; PHANEROPHYTE; and THEROPHYTE.

cryptophyte One of Raunkiaer's lifeform categories, being a plant in which the perennating bud lies below the ground or water surface. The groups geophytes, helophytes, and hydrophytes are distinguished by the environment in which the perennating bud is found (i.e. land, marsh, and water respectively). Compare chamaeophyte; hemicryptophyte; phanerophyte; and therophyte.