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Glite Dictionary
stapelia

stapelia

9.9
A leafless plant with thick stems and star-shaped smelly flowers that attract flies
  • noun
  • /stəˈpēlēə/
  • Specialized
translation icon : stapelia
  • Botanists are fascinated by the stapelia's scent, which resembles that of rotting meat to attract flies.

Examples

  • The stapelia in the greenhouse produced several unusual, star-shaped flowers this summer.

  • I bought a stapelia because I was intrigued by its strange appearance and reputation for foul-smelling blooms.

  • The stapelia plant has unique flowers.

  • I bought a stapelia for my garden.

  • The stapelia plant is known for its large, star-shaped flowers that emit a scent similar to rotting meat.

  • In my collection, the stapelia stands out with its unusual, foul-smelling blooms that attract flies.

  • Many gardeners admire the stapelia for its striking flowers and unique leafless appearance.

Synonyms

starfish flower
vsstapelia
  • Specialized
9.9

A plant with thick stems and large star-shaped flowers that smell bad and attract flies

is the formal genus name used for these southern African succulents
carrion flower
vsstapelia
  • Specialized
9.9

A fleshy plant without leaves that has large star-shaped flowers that smell like rotting meat and attract flies

is the scientific genus name for that same group of plants

Surface Forms

stapelia singular
stapelias plural

Etymology

Stapelia is a plant name formed with the common ending -ia, which shows the plant is 'of' a person, so it is likely named after someone called Stapel and can be remembered as 'Stapel's plant'. That's why stapelia now refers to a group of odd, star-shaped succulents with foul-smelling flowers that attract flies.