noun
- a ring or tuft of fine hairs, bristles, or scales on the fruit or seed of certain plants, especially those in the daisy family, that aids in wind dispersal
Usage: botanical
Examples
- The dandelion’s white pappus allows its seeds to float on the wind.
- Each thistle seed is topped with a feathery pappus.
- The pappus helps disperse the plant’s offspring over long distances.
- Botanists examine the pappus structure to identify different species.
- When you blow on a dandelion, you’re scattering seeds with their pappus intact.
- The pappus can be either simple hairs or branched bristles depending on the species.