(of fruits, anthers, etc) opening spontaneously to release seeds or pollen
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
de•his•cence
(di his′əns),USA pronunciation n.
de•his′cent, adj.
- Biologythe release of materials by the splitting open of an organ or tissue.
- Botanythe natural bursting open of capsules, fruits, anthers, etc., for the discharge of their contents.
- Surgerythe bursting open of a surgically closed wound.
- Neo-Latin dēhiscentia, equivalent. to Latin dēhiscent- stem of dēhiscēns, present participle of dēhiscere (see dehisce) + -ia; see -ence
- 1820–30
'dehiscent' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):
capsule
- dehiscence
- indehiscent
- legume
- pod
- schizocarp
- seedpod
- siliqua
- stonecrop family
- valve