Cottonweed

/ˈkɑtənˌwid/ noun

Definition

Any of various plants with cotton-like, fluffy seeds or fibers; often considered unwanted plants in farming areas.

Etymology

Cotton (the fluffy material, from Arabic qutun) + weed (from Old English weod, meaning an unwanted plant).

Kelly Says

Plants evolve to produce 'cottony' seeds because that fluffy coating helps wind disperse them far and wide—so what looks fluffy and nice to us is actually a plant's brilliant strategy for spreading its offspring!

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