A greenish compound produced when chlorophyll is exposed to light or certain chemical processes; a degradation product of chlorophyll.
From Greek 'aitia' (cause) + 'phyllon' (leaf) + chemical suffix '-in'. The term refers to the chemical change that occurs in plant leaf pigments.
When leaves change color in fall, etiophyllin is one of the compounds revealed as chlorophyll breaks down—it's one reason autumn leaves have such gorgeous yellow and red hues!
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