rafflesia: Meaning and Definition of

raf•fle•sia

Pronunciation: (ru-flē'zhu, -zhē-u, -zē-u, ra-), [key]
— n.
  1. any stemless, leafless, parasitic plant of the genus Rafflesia, of the Malay Peninsula and Republic of Indonesia, characterized by apetalous flowers, measuring 3 in.–3 ft. (8 cm–90 cm) in diameter, that exude a putrid odor: now greatly reduced in number.
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.