Plural of abscission; the natural process where plants drop leaves, fruits, or flowers to conserve energy or reproduce.
From Latin 'abscissio' (a cutting off), derived from 'abscindere'. In biology, the term specifically describes the controlled cellular layer that forms to separate plant parts, making it a different 'cutting off' than simple breakage.
Trees literally dissolve the connection between branches and trunks—it's not a rip or break, but a carefully programmed demolition at the cellular level that happens every autumn!
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