African flower
n.— «Their delicate nature makes reuse impossible and leads to their frequent introduction into nature, where experts say they tend to remain without breaking down for somewhere around 1,000 years. The bags are so pervasive in this part of the world that many have taken to calling them “African flowers,” as if they were local varieties of roses or bougainvillea.» —“Flower of Africa: A Curse That’s Blowing in the Wind” by Marc Lacey in Nairobi, Kenya New York Times Apr. 7, 2005. (source: Double-Tongued Dictionary)
Further reading
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