carrion flower

carrion flower
1. any of several North American climbing plants of the genus Smilax, esp. S. herbacea, having small white flowers with an odor of carrion.
2. Also called starfish flower. any of various succulent plants of the genus Stapelia, of southern Africa, having spotted or variegated flowers often with a fetid odor.
[1830-40, Amer.]

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▪ milkweed group
      any of about 75 species of succulent plants of the genus Stapelia of the milkweed family (Apocynaceae), native to tropical areas of southern Africa. They are named for the unpleasant odour of their large flowers. The carrion odour attracts flies, which pollinate the plants and lay their eggs there. Carrion flowers have thick, four-sided, grooved stems, often coloured or covered with outgrowths. The plants lack true leaves but have scales or spines. The flowers have purple, red, or yellow bars and markings. A few species are cultivated as ornamentals.

      Smilax herbacea, a native American woodland vine, has malodorous flowers and is also called carrion flower. It is of the Liliales order.

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Universalium. 2010.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • Carrion flower — Carrion flowers or Stinking flowers are flowers that emit an odor that smells like rotting flesh. While a typical flower may be stereotyped as a colorful, sweet smelling structure that attracts insects and rewards them with pollen or nectar, this …   Wikipedia

  • carrion flower — n. 1. a perennial vine (Smilax herbacea) of the lily family, with greenish, foul smelling flowers 2. nontechnical name for STAPELIA …   English World dictionary

  • carrion-flower — margoji orbėja statusas T sritis vardynas apibrėžtis Klemalinių šeimos dekoratyvinis augalas (Orbea variegata), paplitęs pietų Afrikoje. atitikmenys: lot. Orbea variegata angl. carrion flower šaltinis Valstybinės lietuvių kalbos komisijos 2013 m …   Lithuanian dictionary (lietuvių žodynas)

  • carrion-flower — stapelija statusas T sritis vardynas apibrėžtis Šeima. Klemaliniai – Asclepiadaceae Borkh. atitikmenys: lot. Stapelia angl. carrion flower vok. Aasblume; Stapelie rus. стапелия lenk. stapelia; zamszówka …   Dekoratyvinių augalų vardynas

  • carrion-flower — margoji stapelija statusas T sritis vardynas atitikmenys: lot. Stapelia variegata angl. carrion flower vok. bunte Aasblume rus. стапелия варьирующая; стапелия пестрая lenk. brudnota pstra; stapelia pstra …   Dekoratyvinių augalų vardynas

  • carrion-flower — carrˈion flower noun 1. A N American climbing plant (Smilax herbacea), with flowers that smell like putrid flesh 2. A S African asclepiad plant (genus Stapelia) with fleshy stem and stinking flowers • • • Main Entry: ↑carrion …   Useful english dictionary

  • carrion flower — car′rion flow er n. pln any of several North American climbing plants belonging to the genus Smilax, of the lily family, esp. S. herbacea, having small white flowers with an odor of carrion • Etymology: 1830–40, amer …   From formal English to slang

  • carrion flower — /ˈkæriən flaʊə/ (say kareeuhn flowuh) noun any plant with fetid smelling flowers which attract carrion flies, especially members of the genera Amorphophallus and Stapelia …  

  • carrion flower — noun any of various plants of the genus Stapelia having succulent leafless toothed stems resembling cacti and large foul smelling (often star shaped) flowers • Syn: ↑stapelia, ↑starfish flower • Hypernyms: ↑herb, ↑herbaceous plant • Hyponyms: ↑ …   Useful english dictionary

  • Carrion plant — can refer to: * Stapelia grandiflora * Stapelia gigantea * Carrion flower …   Wikipedia

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