The occurrence of differently coloured patches, spots, or streaks in plant leaves, petals, or other parts, due to absence of pigment or different combinations of pigment in the affected area of the part. Variegation may be brought about by infection, for example tobacco mosaic virus infection, or by differences in pigmentation genes contained in the plastids (e.g. chloroplasts) of cells of the variegated part (see chimaera). Hence such traits show cytoplasmic inheritance. Lack of the photosynthetic pigment chlorophyll in the affected patches will reduce the plant’s growth potential.