Nyctinasty

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tedholzman
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Nyctinasty

Postby tedholzman » Fri Jul 13, 2012 3:00 am

The night time movements of leaves or other parts of a plant. For example, the closing of flowers at night. (although it sounds more like it should mean the monsters that hide under your bed.)
"He is self-educated, and does really know a multitude of things, but they are not so." -- Mark Twain, from Eve's Diary

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Slava
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Postby Slava » Fri Jul 13, 2012 8:42 pm

Nice find, Ted! How'd you come across this one?

I looked it up, and the roots part of the definition said "nux night + -nasty". I do believe they should have said nastic, as nasty has meanings all its own. Like monsters under the bed. Where's Calvin when you need him?
Life is like playing chess with chessmen who each have thoughts and feelings and motives of their own.

tedholzman
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Joined: Tue May 25, 2010 8:22 pm
Location: Seattle

nyctinasty

Postby tedholzman » Fri Jul 13, 2012 8:56 pm

Hi, Slava.

I was looking at some botany posts on facebook. It turns out that there are a whole family of nasties: chemonasty, thigmonasty, photonasty. But nyctinasty struck me because it has that wonderful alliteration.

The adjectival -nastic forms exist, too.

The nasty suffix seems to be from Greek, "nastos" - pressed down.

-Ted
"He is self-educated, and does really know a multitude of things, but they are not so." -- Mark Twain, from Eve's Diary

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Slava
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Postby Slava » Fri Jul 13, 2012 9:04 pm

Wasn't there a Janet Jackson song about these? "Nasty, nasty words, oh you nasty words."

Science does give us plenty of great ones. Heliotropic is one of my favorites.
Life is like playing chess with chessmen who each have thoughts and feelings and motives of their own.


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