a. Bot. [f. L. basi-s BASE sb.1 + -fug-us fleeing + -AL 1.] Tending away from the base. Basifugal growth: that which begins at the apex (of a leaf, etc.), and proceeds in a direction away from the base. Basifugally adv., in a basifugal manner.
1875. Bennett & Dyer, trans. Sachs’ Bot., 138. Two extreme cases may therefore be distinguished in leaves … the predominantly basifugal or apical, and the predominantly basal growth.
1882. Vines, Sachs’ Bot., 170. Lateral members usually arise on their common axial structure in acropetal or basifugal order. Ibid., 448. The leaves grow … basifugally.
