spathe

American  

[speyth] / speɪð /

noun

Botany.

1. a bract or pair of bracts, often large and colored, subtending or enclosing a spadix or flower cluster.

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spathe British  

/ spəˈθeɪʃəs, speɪð /

noun

1. a large bract, often coloured, that surrounds the inflorescence of aroid plants and palms

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spathe Scientific  

/ spāth /

1. A large, leaflike, often showy bract that encloses a flower cluster or spadix, as in the jack-in-the-pulpit or calla lily.

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• spathed
  adjective
• spathaceous
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of spathe

1775–85; < Latin spatha < Greek spáthē blade, sword, stem; cf. spade ²

Example Sentences

Its hoodlike structure is called a spathe, which envelopes a bulb-shaped structure called the spadix, a fleshy knob dotted by dozens of tiny, petal-less yellow flowers.

From Salon • May 27, 2025

But once she blooms, viewers can expect to see Putricia unfold a vibrant maroon or crimson skirt, known as a spathe, around her spadix which is the large spike in the middle of the plant.

From BBC • Jan. 22, 2025

The tiny white flowers within the spathe are an important food source for the first pollinators of the year.

From Seattle Times • Jan. 25, 2022

When the spathe finally unfurls, the chartreuse spadix heats up to about 90 degrees and releases a rancid blend of chemicals.

From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 1, 2018

The insects visit the plant in large numbers, attracted by the foetid smell, and act as carriers of the pollen from one spathe to another.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 2, Slice 6 "Armour Plates" to "Arundel, Earls of" by Various

Related Words

• covering