pappus
/ˈpæpəs/
noun
- A tuft of fine, hair-like fibers attached to the seeds of certain plants (like dandelions or thistles) that helps them float in the wind for dispersal.
- When you blow on a dandelion head, you are scattering seeds with their pappus into the air.
- Each seed of the thistle is topped with a fluffy white pappus that catches the breeze.
- The dandelion's pappus acts like a tiny parachute, carrying the seed across the lawn.