spathe

plant anatomy

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July 14, 2026

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The spathe is a sheathing bract, or a pair of bracts, that partly encloses a flower's inflorescence, particularly the spadix. This structure is commonly found in plants of the Araceae family, such as the calla lily and the peace lily. The spathe is a modified leaf, and it often surrounds the spadix, which is a spike with a fleshy axis where the actual flowers are located. In some plants, like the cuckoopint, the spathe can have hairlike structures and emit a foul odor to attract insects for pollination. The term "spathe" originates from the Latin word "spatha," meaning broadsword, referencing its shape.123

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cuckoopint
Pollination
…the floral trap of the spathe through a zone of bristles and then fall into a smooth-walled floral chamber from which escape is impossible. Gorging themselves on a nutritious stigmatic secretion produced by the female flowers at the base of the spadix, the trapped flies effect cross-pollination if they have…
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…the floral trap of the spathe through a zone of bristles and then fall into a smooth-walled floral chamber from which escape is impossible. Gorging themselves on a nutritious stigmatic secretion produced by the female flowers at the base of the spadix, the trapped flies effect cross-pollination if they have…
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titan arum
Inflorescence
…petal-like collar known as a spathe. The large furrowed spathe is green to cream-colored on the outside and tightly encloses the spadix before opening to reveal its deep crimson to purple interior. The upper, visible half of the spadix is smooth and yellowish to brown in color, and the entire…
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…petal-like collar known as a spathe. The large furrowed spathe is green to cream-colored on the outside and tightly encloses the spadix before opening to reveal its deep crimson to purple interior. The upper, visible half of the spadix is smooth and yellowish to brown in color, and the entire…
Read More