The letting go is controlled by chemistry in the tiny abscission zone, a narrow band of cells at the base of each leaf stalk, where it attaches to the stem. The distinctive scars can aid in winter ...

More information: Xiaohong Wen et al, MYB74 transcription factor guides de novo specification of epidermal cells in the abscission zone of Arabidopsis, Nature Plants (2025). DOI: 10.1038/s41477 ...

Anatomical analysis of two sunflower cultivars revealed a differentiated region at the junction of the flowers' petal and achene. Cell division at the abscission zone of the short-lived cultivar ...

When the abscission process is altered, the number of marcescent leaves may increase and include tree species that normally drop their leaves. Not all trees are affected the same way.