Pappuses

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A cluster of fine hairs or bristles at the top of certain seeds, aiding in dispersal by wind
2. A lightweight, feathery appendage found on the seeds of some plants, facilitating their movement through the air
3. The tufted formation that crowns the seeds of specific flowering plants, enhancing their ability to travel over distances

Etymology: The plural "pappuses" is the regular English plural of "pappus," the feathery or bristly crown on seeds such as dandelion and thistle that lifts them into the wind. The noun comes via Latin "pappus" from Ancient Greek "páppos," a word for an old man, and the link is the beard. Greek speakers used it affectionately for elderly men, and the image is of a grey, fluffy beard. The botanical sense is a metaphor. The seed's tuft looks like the white whiskers of an old man, so the same Greek word was carried over to describe it. Few readers would guess that a dandelion clock shares its name with a grandfather's beard.