Discoloration

Discoloration [ Botany ]
Synonym: Stain
Adjective: Discoloured
Noun: Discolourment

Dictionary of botanic terminology - index of names

Any atypical colouring in plant or animal tissues visible to the naked eye.
The act or condition of being discoloured.

In botany a discoloration is a changing from the original colour of leaves, flowers, stems or other plants parts either due to environmental or internal factors including weather (overheating, light exposure, frost, etc.) disease, water stress, insect damage, lack of nutrients and chemical attack.
The discoloration is the change from an initial colour possessed by a plant surface which involves either lightening or darkening and/or change in hue. A lack of uniformity in pigmentation where pigmentation (colour) should be uniform over the whole area of an organ.

Compare with: Depigmentation

To discolour Transitive and intransitive verb:
(Past and past participle discoloured, present participle discolouring, 3rd person present singular discolours)

To change from an original or desired colour and take on an unpleasant, faded, darkened, or dirty appearance, or make something change in this way.

[From Latin "discolorare" = to discolour (Derived from Latin "colorare" = to colour)]

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Holdfast roots [ Botany ]
Dictionary of botanic terminology - index of names

Some species of climbing plants develop holdfast roots which help to support the vines on trees, walls, and rocks. By forcing their way into minute pores and crevices, they hold the plant firmly in place.

Climbing plants, like the poison ivy (Toxicodendron radicans), Boston ivy (Parthenocissus tricuspidata), and trumpet creeper (Campsis radicans), develop holdfast roots which help to support the vines on trees, walls, and rocks. By forcing their way into minute pores and crevices, they hold the plant firmly in place. Usually the Holdfast roots die at the end of the first season, but in some species they are perennial. In the tropics some of the large climbing plants have hold-fast roots by which they attach themselves, and long, cord-like roots that extend downward through the air and may lengthen and branch for several years until they strike the soil and become absorbent roots.

Major references and further lectures:
1) E. N. Transeau “General Botany” Discovery Publishing House, 1994