Botany The
epicuticular wax coating on mature
plum fruit gives them a glaucous appearance. Another familiar example is found in the common grape genus (
Vitis vinifera). Some
cacti have a glaucous coating on their stem(s). Glaucous coatings are
hydrophobic so as to prevent
wetting by rain. Their
waxy character serves to hinder climbing of leaves, stem or fruit by insects. On fruits,
glaucous coatings may function as a deterrent to climbing and feeding by small insects in favor of increased seed dispersal offered by larger animals such as
mammals and birds.
Zoology The
blue-grey camouflage coloring of some species of birds and sea and land animals causes their appearance to blend with their surroundings, making their detection by predators or prey difficult. File:Close up grapes.jpg|Wine grapes with glaucous coating File:Plums.jpg|
Plums with some glaucous coating visible File:Sedum spathulifolium 4916.JPG|
Sedum spathulifolium is a glaucous perennial
herbaceous plant. File:Coquelicots - Parc floral 6.JPG|The glaucous leaves and seed pods of
Papaver somniferum File:Glaucous Gull (Larus hyperboreus) (13667579863).jpg|
Glaucous gull (
Larus hyperboreus) File:Blueshark 300.jpg|
Blue shark (
Prionace glauca)
Medicine Glaucoma (a group of eye diseases) is named after the color
glaucous since it describes the
bluish-green or
gray appearance of the
pupil, especially in severe cases ==See also==