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Akenes with various types of pappus. <em>Rudbeckia</em>, pappus wanting.

Akenes

Akenes with various types of pappus. Rudbeckia, pappus wanting.

Akenes with various types of pappus. <em>Cichorium</em>, pappus a crown of fine scales.

Akenes

Akenes with various types of pappus. Cichorium, pappus a crown of fine scales.

Akenes with various types of pappus. <em>Coreopsis</em>, pappus of 2 small scales.

Akenes

Akenes with various types of pappus. Coreopsis, pappus of 2 small scales.

Akenes with various types of pappus. <em>Helenium</em>, pappus a crown of conspicuous scales.

Akenes

Akenes with various types of pappus. Helenium, pappus a crown of conspicuous scales.

Akenes with various types of pappus. <em>Cirsium</em>, pappus a tuft of plumose hairs.

Akenes

Akenes with various types of pappus. Cirsium, pappus a tuft of plumose hairs.

Akenes with various types of pappus. <em>Lactouca</em>, pappus borne on a long beak.

Akenes

Akenes with various types of pappus. Lactouca, pappus borne on a long beak.

Calyx of Chickory.

Calyx

Calyx of Chickory.

Calyx of Sunflower.

Calyx

Calyx of Sunflower.

Calyx of Helenium.

Calyx

Calyx of Helenium.

Calyx of Dandelion, showing pappus of downy hairs.

Calyx

Calyx of Dandelion, showing pappus of downy hairs.

Calyx of Sowthistle, showing pappus of downy hairs.

Calyx

Calyx of Sowthistle, showing pappus of downy hairs.

An illustration of the seed of the field scabious. Knautia arvensis, commonly known as Field Scabious, is a species in the genus Knautia. It is a perennial plant that grows between 25 and 100 cm. It prefers grassy places and dry soils, avoiding heavy soils, and flowers between July and September. The flowered head is flatter than similar species Devils bit scabious and Small Scabious. There are 4 stamens in each flower, and 1 notched long stigma. The fruit is nut like, cylindrical and hairy, 5-6mm in size. It has a tap root. The stem has long stiff hairs angled downwards. There are no stipules. The leaves form a basal rosette, are paired on the stem, the lowest typically 300mm long, spear shaped, whereas the upper are smaller.

Seed of Field Scabious

An illustration of the seed of the field scabious. Knautia arvensis, commonly known as Field Scabious,…

"Pappus.--The down of seed, to waft it away." -Newman, 1850

Pappus

"Pappus.--The down of seed, to waft it away." -Newman, 1850

An illustration of the valerian seed with attached pappus. In a composite flower, Pappus is the part of individual disk and ray flowers that surrounds the base, in the same manner as the calyx does in a non-compound flower. The pappus may be like bristles or tiny hairs, teeth, or scales, and is usually too small to see without magnification. Valerian is a hardy perennial flowering plant, with heads of sweetly scented pink or white flowers. The flowers are in bloom in the northern hemisphere from June to September. Valerian was used as a perfume in the sixteenth century.

Valerian Seed with Pappus

An illustration of the valerian seed with attached pappus. In a composite flower, Pappus is the part…

"Centranthus ruber. 1. a corolla; 2. section of ovary; 3. ripe fruit, with its pappus; 4. cross section of a seed." -Lindley, 1853

Red Valerian

"Centranthus ruber. 1. a corolla; 2. section of ovary; 3. ripe fruit, with its pappus; 4. cross section…