versicolor

Versicolor is a Latin adjective meaning multicolored or variegated. In scientific naming, versicolor is commonly used as a species epithet to signal color variation among related forms. The term appears in botany, mycology, and zoology, as well as in medical terminology, where it often denotes a changeable or varied coloration in a specimen or condition.

One well-known medical use is tinea versicolor, also called pityriasis versicolor. It is a common superficial fungal infection of the skin caused by yeasts of the Malassezia species complex. It typically produces irregular patches that are lighter or darker than the surrounding skin and may be slightly scaly, most often on the trunk, shoulders, and upper arms. Predisposing factors include warm, humid climates and sweating. Diagnosis is clinical and can be supported by a Wood's lamp examination, which may show copper-orange fluorescence, and by microscopic examination of skin scrapings showing yeast cells and short hyphae (the so-called spaghetti-and-meatballs appearance) on KOH preparation. Treatment usually involves topical antifungals such as selenium sulfide, ketoconazole, or terbinafine; persistent or widespread cases may require oral antifungals like fluconazole or itraconazole. The infection is generally benign, but relapses are common, requiring maintenance therapy or repeated treatment.

In taxonomy, versicolor is used to describe species with variable coloration. An example is Iris versicolor, the blue flag iris, a flowering plant native to eastern North America. The epithet underscores observed color variation among individuals or varieties within the species.