chamaeophyte One of Raunkiaer's life-form categories, being a plant in which the perennating bud or shoot apices are borne very close to the ground. Four subcategories are recognized:(a) suffruticose chamaeophyte, in which the aerial shoots die back partially at the onset of unfavourable conditions and buds arise on the lower, persistent stem portions;(b) passive chamaeophyte, in which the aerial stems fall over as they die back, to give buds on horizontal axes near the ground;(c) active chamaeophyte, which also produces buds on horizontal stems, but as the more normal growth form of the plant; and(d) cushion chamaeophyte, which is essentially a compacted suffruticose chamaeophyte. Compare CRYPTOPHYTE; HEMICRYPTOPHYTE; PHANEROPHYTE; and THEROPHYTE.

chamaeophyte One of Raunkiaer's lifeform categories, being a plant in which the perennating bud or shoot apices are borne very close to the ground. Four subcategories are recognized: (a)suffruticose chamaeophyte, in which the aerial shoots die back partially at the onset of unfavourable conditions and buds arise on the lower, persistent stem portions;(b)passive chamaeophyte, in which the aerial stems fall over as they die back, to give buds on horizontal axes near the ground;(c)active chamaeophyte, which also produces buds on horizontal stems, but as the more normal growth form of the plant; and(d)cushion chamaeophyte, which is essentially a compacted suffruticose chamaeophyte.Compare cryptophyte; hemicryptophyte; phanerophyte; and therophyte.