Vegetation

1. Plant growth, active vital activity.

2. Plant growth period from seed to maturity.

Annual plants’ vegetation lasts for one year. Herbaceous plants’ above-ground part decays at the end of each vegetation season. The vegetation period is characterized by the fastest growth. The plant strengthens, preparing for flowering.

In medical terms, “vegetation” refers to an abnormal growth of tissue on heart valves. These growths consist of platelets, fibrin, microorganisms like bacteria, and inflammatory cells. Conditions such as infective endocarditis often lead to the formation of vegetations, which can cause significant damage to heart valves and impair their function. They can also serve as a source of emboli, potentially leading to complications such as stroke, organ infarction, or the spread of infection to other parts of the body.

Source | Glossary of Most Commonly Used Biomedical Terms and Concepts | Lithuanian University of Health Sciences | Academician Professor Antanas Praškevičius, Professor Laima Ivanovienė