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Pappus (botany)

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**Biomimicry:**
– Dandelion pappus studied for applications
– Pappus can retain 100 times its weight in water
– Pappus-inspired mechanisms for efficient liquid transport
– Pappus used for minute airflow detection
– Applications in neonatal incubators and ventilation systems

**References:**
– Study on the flight of dandelion
– Flow dynamics of dandelion pappus
– Role of abscission in seed dispersal
– Moisture-dependent morphing for dispersal
– Bio-inspired flexible fiber array for liquid transfer

**External Links:**
Asteraceae morphology
– Composite flowers
– Biomimetics
– Link to Wikipedia article on Pappus (botany)

**Additional Information:**
– Pappus in Asteraceae is a wind-dispersal mechanism
– Pappus may be composed of bristles, awns, or scales
– Pappus functions as a parachute in some genera
– Name “pappus” derives from Greek and Latin words
– Dandelion pappus aids in seed dispersal and germination

**Notable Studies:**
– Vortex ring underlies dandelion flight
– Linear stability approach to pappus flow dynamics
– Study on abscission in seed dispersal
– Moisture-dependent morphing for dandelion dispersal
– Sensing airflow motions using pappus-inspired sensors

Pappus (botany) (Wikipedia)

In Asteraceae, the pappus is the modified calyx,[citation needed] the part of an individual floret, that surrounds the base of the corolla tube in flower. It functions as a wind-dispersal mechanism for the seeds.

The pappus-clad fruits that make up the familiar "dandelion clock" being dispersed by the wind (family Asteraceae)
Tragopogon pratensis (Asteraceae) "puffball" of pappus-clad fruits, similar in structure to "dandelion clock"
Sonchus oleraceus (Asteraceae)

In Asteraceae, the pappus may be composed of bristles (sometimes feathery), awns, scales, or may be absent, and in some species, is too small to see without magnification. In genera such as Taraxacum or Eupatorium, feathery bristles of the pappus function as a "parachute" which enables the seed to be carried by the wind. The name derives from the Ancient Greek word pappos, Latin pappus, meaning "old man", so used for a plant (assumed to be an Erigeron species) having bristles and also for the woolly, hairy seed of certain plants.

The pappus of the dandelion plays a vital role in the wind-aided dispersal of its seeds. By creating a separated vortex ring in its wake, the flight of the pappus is stabilized and more lift and drag are produced. The pappus also has the property of being able to change its morphology in the presence of moisture in various ways that aid germination. The change of shape can adjust the rate of abscission, allowing increased or decreased germination depending on the favorability of conditions.

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