Phanerophyte

Classification Depending on the location of the renewal buds

A phanerophyte ( Greek phanero "visible") is one of the life form types of plants according to Christian Raunkiær .

A phanerophyte is a woody perennial plant ( tree or shrub ) that overwinters through renewal buds and whose persistence buds are at least 30 centimeters above the ground. The buds are located above the leaf litter or the snow cover and are therefore exposed to the winter cold without any protection. Often there are therefore special adaptations to the winter cold such as leaf fall or needle leaves.

A distinction is made between:

• Nanophanerophytes
• Macrophanerophytes

Exceptions

Tropical trees are phanerophytes too, but they do not have all the characteristics, because the buds have no survival function, at least in the humid tropics, and are therefore typically “naked”, and protection from the cold is also not necessary.

See also

• Life form (botany)

literature

• Wolfgang Adler, Karl Oswald, Raimund Fischer: Excursion flora of Austria. Ed .: Manfred A. Fischer . Ulmer, Stuttgart / Vienna 1994, ISBN 3-8001-3461-6 .
• D. Denffer, H. Ziegler, F. Ehrendorfer, A. Besinsky: Straßburger. Textbook of botany for universities . Ed. 32, Gustav Fischer Verlag, Stuttgart 1983.