Seedheads

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. The mature reproductive structures of flowering plants that contain seeds, often characterized by a tufted, dried appearance
2. The dried flower heads that develop after flowering, typically holding seeds for propagation and often exhibiting various shapes
3. The spore-producing parts of some plants that come after the bloom phase, serving as vital structures for plant reproduction and dispersal

Etymology: "Seedheads" is the plural of "seedhead", a compound of two plain Old English-derived words: "seed" and "head". The combination is transparent: the seedhead is the top or crown of a plant where its seeds develop and are held, much as a head is the top of the body. The "head" in such compounds has long been used for the topmost, flowering or fruiting part of a plant, which is why we speak of grain heads and clover heads. Here the sense is simply that the seeds are gathered at the upper end of the stem. The "seed" element is the plant's reproductive matter, and the compound describes the stage at which that matter is ready to be dispersed.

Synonyms: flower heads, seed pods