Main conclusion CsERF2, an ethylene response factor, plays a role in leaf variegation. Abstract Leaf variegation is a main ornamental characteristic in Cymbidium sinense ( C . sinense ). However, the mechanisms of leaf color variegation remain largely unclear. In the present study, we analyzed the cytological and physiological features, as well as molecular analyses of leaves from wild-type (WT) and leaf variegation mutants of...