from
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
Protophyte \Pro"to*phyte\, n. [Proto- + Gr. ? a plant.] (Bot.)
Any unicellular plant, or plant forming only a plasmodium,
having reproduction only by fission, gemmation, or cell
division.
[1913 Webster]
Note: The protophytes (Protophyta) are by some botanists
considered an independent branch or class of the
vegetable kingdom, and made to include the lowest forms
of both fungi and alg[ae], as slime molds, Bacteria,
the nostocs, etc. Cf. {Carpophyte}, and {Oophyte}.
[1913 Webster]