Xerophyte vs. Hydrophyte — What's the Difference?

A plant adapted to surviving with little water.

A plant adapted to grow in water.

(botany) Any plant suited for life in a habitat where water is scarce, such as in a desert or chaparral. Such plants may be succulent, have small or reduced leaves, or spines.

(botany) A plant that lives in or requires an abundance of water, usually excluding seaweed.

A xerophyte (from Greek ξηρός xeros 'dry' + φυτόν phuton 'plant') is a species of plant that has adaptations to survive in an environment with little liquid water, such as a desert or an ice- or snow-covered region in the Alps or the Arctic. Popular examples of xerophytes are cacti, pineapple and some Gymnosperm plants.

An aquatic plant; an alga.

A desert plant

A plant that grows partly or wholly in water whether rooted in the mud, as a lotus, or floating without anchorage, as the water hyacinth

Plant adapted for life with a limited supply of water; compare hydrophyte and mesophyte