Cyaathia

/saɪˈæθiə/ noun

Definition

Plural of cyathium; specialized flower-like structures found in spurge plants where small male and female flowers are clustered together.

Etymology

From Latin 'cyathia', from Greek 'kyathos' (cup). These structures are called 'cyathia' because their cup-like shape resembles a drinking vessel.

Kelly Says

Cyaathia are nature's deceptive packaging—from a distance, a spurge plant's cluster of cyaathia looks like one flower, fooling pollinators into visiting multiple times while thinking they've found a single bloom.

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