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comae

9.9

Tufts of long hairs on seeds that help them travel by wind

noun
/ˈkoʊmiː/

Specialized

: penacho

The dandelion's seeds are carried by the wind thanks to their comae.

Examples

The fluffy comae on milkweed seeds make them easy to spot in the air.
Botanists studied the structure of the comae on various plant species to understand seed dispersal.
The comae of the dandelion help it spread its seeds.
Many plants have comae that aid in seed dispersal.
The dandelion's seeds are carried by the wind thanks to their comae.
Botanists studied the structure of the comae on various plant species to understand seed dispersal.
Many plants have comae that aid in seed dispersal.

Synonyms

coma

vscomae

Specialized

1 9.9

A small tuft of hairs at the tip of a seed that helps it float in the wind

is the plural form referring to multiple tufts that aid dispersal

Surface Forms

coma singular

comae plural

Morphology

comae = coma (semi-transparent) = coma + ae

The plural relation to 'coma' is clear but the Latin plural ending '-ae' is irregular and may not be predictable for learners.

Etymology

The word comae is the plural of coma and comes from the Latin coma, meaning 'hair', used for the soft hair-like tufts on seeds and fruits. That's why fluffy seed parts, like those on a dandelion, are called comae.