koszyczki

Koszyczki is a Polish word with several related meanings, depending on context. The most common senses are small baskets and a botanical term for a flower head of many plants in the family Asteraceae.

In everyday language, koszyczki are small baskets or containers, often woven from wicker, reed, or straw. They are used for carrying or presenting items, and are commonly associated with decorative purposes, gifts, or Easter traditions such as baskets for collecting eggs.

In botany, koszyczek (plural koszyczki) designates a capitulum, a compact inflorescence that resembles a single flower but consists of many small flowers (florets). In Asteraceae, a koszyczek typically contains central disc florets and, on the edge, peripheral ray florets, though some species have only disc florets. The inflorescence sits on a receptacle and is often surrounded by bracts. After flowering, each floret can set seed (achene), frequently with a pappus that aids wind dispersal.

The term is widely used in botanical descriptions of sunflowers, dandelions, daisies, chicory, and other composite flowers. Descriptions may refer to a “koszyczek kwiatowy” to emphasize the clustered, head-like arrangement of multiple florets within a single inflorescence. The word illustrates how these flowers are organized rather than each being a separate bloom.