stapelia

• POS: Noun
• HYPHEN: sta=pe=li=a

CIDE DICTIONARY

stapelia, n. [NL. So named after John Bodæus a Stapel, a physician of Amsterdam.].

 An extensive and curious genus of African plants of the natural order Asclepiadaceæ (Milkweed family). They are succulent plants without leaves, frequently covered with dark tubercles giving them a very grotesque appearance. The odor of the blossoms is like that of carrion.  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

stapelia, n. any S. African plant of the genus Stapelia, with flowers having an unpleasant smell.

Etymology

mod.L f. J. B. von Stapel, Du. botanist d. 1636