noun
- plural of pappus; the modified calyx of composite flowers consisting of hairs, bristles, or scales
Usage: botanical
Examples
- The dandelion seeds have feathery pappi that help them disperse in the wind.
- Botanists examined the pappi structure under a microscope.
- The pappi of different composite flowers vary greatly in form.
- Wind-dispersed seeds often have well-developed pappi.
- The pappi help the seeds travel long distances from the parent plant.