Nyctinasty

[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.)

[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?

[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

[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.