Bladdernuts

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. Shrubs or small trees of the genus Staphylea bearing distinctive papery, balloon-like seed capsules that rattle when dry
2. Plants having inflated bladder-shaped fruit pods that contain seeds and are characteristic of the Staphyleaceae family
3. Small trees or woody shrubs known for their hollow, air-filled seed pods that resemble tiny bladders or lanterns

Etymology: Bladdernuts are the plants of the genus Staphylea, shrubs and small trees whose seed capsules swell into papery, inflated pods that look like tiny bladders. The word is simply the plural of "bladdernut", a compound of "bladder" and "nut". The "bladder" element refers to those hollow, balloon-like capsules, which rattle when shaken once the seeds have ripened, while "nut" names the hard seeds inside.