Virescence is the abnormal development of green pigmentation in plant parts that are not normally green, like shoots or flowers (in which case it is known as floral virescence).[1] Virescence is closely associated with phyllody (the abnormal development of flower parts into leaves) and witch's broom (the abnormal growth of a dense mass of shoots from a single point). They are often symptoms of the same disease affecting the plants, typically those caused by phytoplasmas.[2] The term chloranthy is also sometimes used for floral virescence, though it is more commonly used for phyllody.[3]

The term was coined around 1825, from Latin virescere, "to become green". In the English language the term virescent may also refer to greenness (cf. verdant).[4]

See also

References

  1. ^ Masters, M.T. (1869). Vegetable Teratology, an Account of the Principal Deviations from the Usual Construction of Plants. Robert Hardwicke. p. 240–281.
  2. ^ Hogenhout, S.A.; Šeruga Musić, M. (2010). "Phytoplasma Genomics, from Sequencing to Comparative and Functional Genomics – What Have We Learnt?". In Weintraub, P.G.; Jones, P. (eds.). Phytoplasmas: Genomes, Plant Hosts and Vectors. CABI. pp. 19–37. ISBN 9781845935306.
  3. ^ Shastri, V. (2005). Academic Dictionary Of Biology. Isha Books. ISBN 9788182051874.
  4. ^ "Virescent". Academic Dictionaries and Encyclopedias. Retrieved 10 November 2012.


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