noun
- Plural of nyctinasty; movements or growth responses in plants that occur in response to the onset of darkness or night.
Usage: botanical term; technical
Examples
- The nyctinasties of the tulip petals cause them to close at dusk.
- Botanists study nyctinasties to understand how plants respond to circadian rhythms.
- Many flowering plants exhibit nyctinasties, folding their leaves or petals when darkness falls.
- The nyctinasties observed in legumes are triggered by the absence of light.
- Researchers documented the nyctinasties in morning glory plants over several nights.