pappus

plant anatomy

Written by

The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Last updated

July 1, 2026

Quick Summary

The pappus is a structure found in certain seed plants that crowns the ovary or fruit. It consists of a tuft of appendages that aids in the dispersal of the fruit. The term "pappose" is an adjective used to describe something that has or is a pappus.12

Summary created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

2 Britannica Sources

Ask Britannica AI about this topic

Britannica doesn't have a full article on this topic, so we've curated a list of our relevant coverage.

Asteraceae
Flowers
…given a different name, the pappus. The pappus consists of one to many dry scales, awns (small pointed processes), or capillary (hairlike) bristles; in some the scales may be joined by their margins to form a crownlike ring at the summit of the ovary. In a few genera (e.g., Marshallia)…
Read More
…given a different name, the pappus. The pappus consists of one to many dry scales, awns (small pointed processes), or capillary (hairlike) bristles; in some the scales may be joined by their margins to form a crownlike ring at the summit of the ovary. In a few genera (e.g., Marshallia)…
Read More

plant reproductive system
Angiosperms
…each flower, known as a pappus, is bristlelike, scaly, or feathery and borne at the top of the ovary. The corolla, formed of the petals, may be (1) tubular, with five petal lobes, sometimes split open, (2) ligulate, or tonguelike, with a very short basal tube, or (3) bilabiate, with…
Read More
…each flower, known as a pappus, is bristlelike, scaly, or feathery and borne at the top of the ovary. The corolla, formed of the petals, may be (1) tubular, with five petal lobes, sometimes split open, (2) ligulate, or tonguelike, with a very short basal tube, or (3) bilabiate, with…
Read More