selenotropic, a. Bot.
(siːliːnəʊˈtrɒpɪk)
Also selene-, selenio-.
[f. Gr. σελήν-η moon + -τροπος turning + -ic, after F. sélénetropique (sic: Ch. Musset, 1883).]
Bending or turning under the influence of moonlight. So seleˈnotropism (Musset sélénetropisme), seleˈnotropy.
| 1883 Nature 15 Mar. 476/2 Selenetropism of plants, by M. Musset. 1883 Times 27 Mar. 3/4 Such movements of plants in moonlight M. Musset proposes to call selenetropic. [1883 Sci. Amer. 27 Oct. 263/3 Selenotropic.] 1883 Nat. Educ. XXIV. No. 6. 6 The branches almost immediately became curved toward the moon... The author [C. Musset] applies the name selenotropy to these motions. 1884 Hardwicke's Sci. Gossip XX. 64 The stalks at once grew seleniotropic, that is, they turned towards and followed the moonlight. |