THALLOPHYTE

[thal.lo.phyte] n [ultim. fr. Gk thallos + phyton plant--more at phyt-] (1854): any of a primary division (Thallophyta) of the plant kingdom comprising plants with single-celled sex organs or with many-celled sex organs of which all cells give rise to gametes, including the algae, fungi, and lichens, and usu. held to be a heterogeneous assemblage -- thal.lo.phyt.ic adj