genus Amorphophallus

9.9

A group of large tropical East Asian plants with underground roots and strange, smelly flowers, including the corpse flower

noun
/ˈdʒɛnəs əˌmɔrfəˈfæləs/

Specialized

: género Amorphophallus

Gardeners cultivate some members of the genus Amorphophallus for their striking and unusual flowers.

Examples

The genus Amorphophallus includes some of the largest flowers in the world.
The genus Amorphophallus includes the famous corpse flower known for its pungent odor.
Botanists are studying several species in the genus Amorphophallus to understand their pollination strategies.
Did you know that the genus Amorphophallus contains the famous corpse flower?
Gardeners cultivate some members of the genus Amorphophallus for their striking and unusual flowers.
The genus Amorphophallus includes the famous corpse flower known for its pungent odor.
Did you know that the genus Amorphophallus contains the famous corpse flower?

Surface Forms

genus Amorphophallus singular

genera Amorphophallus plural

Morphology

genus + amorphophallus

The expression is directly compositional: 'genus' denotes a biological rank (a group of related species) and 'Amorphophallus' is the taxon name, so the meaning is simply the taxonomic group called Amorphophallus. This rank+name pattern is standard cross-linguistically and follows ordinary noun composition, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents would readily infer the meaning.

Etymology

Genus Amorphophallus comes from Greek parts amorpho ('shapeless') and phallus ('male organ'), a picture of the plant's odd, tube-like central flower. That's why the name fits this group of tropical plants with very large, strange flowers and strong, often rotten smells.