Bract
/BRAKT/🌸 Flower Parts●● Intermediate
A specialized leaf-like structure found at the base of a flower, flower stalk, or inflorescence. Bracts may be small and scale-like, or large and colorful (as in poinsettias and bougainvillea), sometimes more conspicuous than the actual flowers.
Etymology
From Latin bractea, meaning "thin plate of metal, gold leaf."
Example
“The vibrant red "petals" of a poinsettia are actually colorful bracts surrounding tiny yellow flowers.”