The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Tassel \Tas"sel\, n. [OE., a fastening of a mantle, OF. tassel a
   fastening, clasp, F. tasseau a bracket, Fr. L. taxillus a
   little die, dim. of talus a die of a longish shape, rounded
   on two sides and marked only on the other four, a knuckle
   bone.]
   1. A pendent ornament, attached to the corners of cushions,
      to curtains, and the like, ending in a tuft of loose
      threads or cords.
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   2. The flower or head of some plants, esp. when pendent.
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            And the maize field grew and ripened, Till it stood
            in all the splendor
            Of its garments green and yellow,
            Of its tassels and its plumage.       --Longfellow.
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   3. A narrow silk ribbon, or the like, sewed to a book to be
      put between the leaves.
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   4. (Arch.) A piece of board that is laid upon a wall as a
      sort of plate, to give a level surface to the ends of
      floor timbers; -- rarely used in the United States.
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   Tassel flower (Bot.), a name of several composite plants of
      the genus Cineraria, especially the Cineraria
      sconchifolia, and of the blossoms which they bear.
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WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):

tassel flower
    n 1: tropical Asiatic annual cultivated for its small tassel-
         shaped heads of scarlet flowers [syn: tassel flower,
         Emilia sagitta]
    2: tropical African annual having scarlet tassel-shaped flower
       heads; sometimes placed in genus Cacalia [syn: tassel
       flower, Emilia coccinea, Emilia javanica, Emilia
       flammea, Cacalia javanica, Cacalia lutea]
    3: young leaves widely used as leaf vegetables; seeds used as
       cereal [syn: love-lies-bleeding, velvet flower, tassel
       flower, Amaranthus caudatus]