noun
- A division of seed-bearing plants characterized by large, compound leaves and cone-like reproductive structures; includes cycads and related extinct forms.
Usage: botanical term; plural form; singular is cycadophyte; used in paleobotany and plant taxonomy
Examples
- Cycadophytes were abundant during the Mesozoic Era.
- The fossil record shows that cycadophytes dominated many ancient ecosystems.
- Modern cycadophytes are represented by living cycad species found in tropical regions.
- Botanists classify cycadophytes as gymnosperms based on their reproductive structures.
- The study of cycadophytes helps scientists understand plant evolution over millions of years.