rafflesia

[ ruh-flee-zhuh, -zhee-uh, -zee-uh, ra- ]

noun

1. any stemless, leafless, parasitic plant of the genus Rafflesia, of the Malay Peninsula and Republic of Indonesia, characterized by apetalous flowers, measuring 3 inches–3 feet (8–90 centimeters) in diameter, that exude a putrid odor: now greatly reduced in number.

rafflesia

/ ræˈfliːzɪə /

noun

1. any of various tropical Asian parasitic leafless plants constituting the genus Rafflesia , esp R. arnoldi , the flowers of which grow up to 45 cm (18 inches) across, smell of putrid meat, and are pollinated by carrion flies: family Rafflesiaceae

Word History and Origins

Origin of rafflesia¹

From New Latin (1821), after T. S. Raffles, who obtained the type specimen

Word History and Origins

Origin of rafflesia¹

C19: New Latin, named after T. S. Raffles , who discovered it

Example Sentences

He encountered the massive Rafflesia flower, which featured nearly two-foot-wide scarlet petals and smelled like a rotting corpse, and a phosphorescent fungus that emitted enough light at night to allow him to read a newspaper.

From National Geographic

Perhaps, she adds, Rafflesia’s opening gambit is to suppress this secretion and besiege its host.

From Scientific American

Molina keeps a potted Tetrastigma in her university office, regularly sprinkling the plant with Rafflesia seeds in the hope they will miraculously catch.

From Scientific American

Little is known about how the parasitic Rafflesia—a genus that produces the world’s largest and stinkiest flower—infects its host plants.

From Scientific American

Next, Molina hopes to learn how to tip the balance toward Rafflesia.

From Scientific American