pappus. The hair, plumes, bristles, or scales on the top of a dry fruit, particularly of a fruit (or “seed”) of the Compositæ or sunflower family.
parasite. A plant or animal that lives on a living host (as on a plant or an animal), taking its food from the host. See [saprophyte].
parenchyma. The general underlying tissue, from which other tissue arises.
pedicel. Stem of a single flower in a cluster.
peduncle. A flower-stem, supporting a solitary flower or a cluster of flowers.
perennial. A plant that lives more than two years, as most grasses, docks, alfalfa, asparagus, and all trees and shrubs.
perfect flowers bear both stamens and pistils.
pericarp. A ripened ovary, without counting attached parts.
personate. Masked; that is, so formed as to suggest a masked face, in labiate corollas with a large lower lip.
petal. One of the parts or leaves of the corolla.