The New Student's Reference Work/Assimilation

As′simila′tion (in plants). A term often applied to the manufacture by green plants of starch, sugar and similar substances (carbohydrates). This process is better called photosynthesis (which see), leaving assimilation to be applied to the transformation of foods (carbohydrates, proteids, fats, etc.) into the living substance, protoplasm. Of the details of this very little is known.