I. -nt adjective
Etymology: Latin marcescent-, marcescens, present participle of marcescere to wither, incho. from marcēre to wither; akin to Middle High German mern to dip bread in wine or water, Middle Irish mraich, braich malt, and probably to Greek marainein to waste away — more at smart
of a plant part : withering without falling off
marcescent leaves
II. noun
( -s )
: a plant that has marcescent parts