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Nyctinasty
Posted: Fri Jul 13, 2012 3:00 am
by tedholzman
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.)
Posted: Fri Jul 13, 2012 8:42 pm
by Slava
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?
nyctinasty
Posted: Fri Jul 13, 2012 8:56 pm
by tedholzman
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
Posted: Fri Jul 13, 2012 9:04 pm
by Slava
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.