pappus

/'pæpəs/

Thân thiện

The dandelion's pappus carries its seeds on the wind.

Definition

1. Noun:
   • In botany, a pappus is a modified calyx, typically composed of scales, bristles, or featherlike hairs, found in plants of the family Asteraceae (Compositae). It is attached to the fruit (achene) and often functions in wind dispersal.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • The dandelion's pappus acts like a parachute, carrying its seeds on the wind.
  • Botanists study the structure of the pappus to help classify different species of thistles.
  • The tiny seeds are each equipped with a feathery pappus.

Advanced Usage

• "Pappus of Alexandria": A proper noun referring to a Greek mathematician of the 4th century AD. This is a distinct, unrelated usage of the word.
  • Pappus of Alexandria is known for his work in geometry.

Variants and Related Words

• Pappose (adj): Bearing or resembling a pappus.
  • The pappose achenes are characteristic of the tribe.
• Pappi (n): The plural form of pappus.
  • The various pappi were examined under a microscope.

Synonyms

• Coma (in botany): A tuft of hairs, especially on a seed.
• Seed plume: A descriptive term for a feathery pappus.

Related Phrases

• Pappus ring: A botanical term for the ring-like structure at the base of a pappus.
• Pappus bristle: Refers to an individual hair-like element of the pappus.

Học thuật

Noun

1. calyx composed of scales or bristles or featherlike hairs in plants of the Compositae such as thistles and dandelions