[free-at-uh-fahyt] 
| a long-rooted plant that absorbs its water from the water table or the soil above it. |
| phre·at·o·phyte (frē-āt'ə-fīt') n. A deep-rooted plant that obtains water from a permanent ground supply or from the water table. [Greek phrear, phreat-, well, spring; see phreatic + -phyte.] phre·at'o·phyt'ic (-fĭt'ĭk) adj. |
| phreatophyte (frē-āt'ə-fīt') Pronunciation Key
A deep-rooted plant that obtains water from a permanent ground supply or from the water table, such as many tamarisk species. Phreatophytes are often found in arid environments. |
əˌfaɪt