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

• spathaceous adjective
• spathed adjective

Etymology

Origin of spathe

1775–85; < Latin spatha < Greek spáthē blade, sword, stem; 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 spathe protects the flowers in their young state, and often falls off after they are developed, or hangs down 555 in a withered form, as in some palms, Typha and Pothos.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 10, Slice 5 "Fleury, Claude" to "Foraker" by Various

Related Words

• covering