noun
- a catkin; a spike of small flowers without petals, found on trees such as birch, alder, and willow
Usage: botany
Examples
- The birch tree's aments hang down like fuzzy caterpillars in spring.
- Aments release pollen into the air, which can trigger allergies in some people.
- The willow's aments appear before the leaves fully develop.
- Botanists study aments to understand the reproductive structures of wind-pollinated trees.
- In early spring, the alder's aments become visible as the weather warms.