'star-shaped-flowered' is a modern compound formed from 'star-shaped' + 'flowered'. 'star' originates from Old English 'steorra' (from Proto-Germanic *sternô) meaning 'star'; 'shape' comes from Old English/Old Germanic roots meaning 'form' (related to Proto-Germanic *skapaną 'to create, form'); 'flower' ultimately comes via Old French 'flor' from Latin 'flos, floris' meaning 'blossom'.

'star-shaped-flowered' developed in modern English by compounding the established adjective 'star-shaped' (used to describe form) with the participial adjective 'flowered' (meaning 'having flowers'), following a long tradition of English compounding; the components 'star', 'shape' and 'flower' themselves trace back through Middle and Old English and earlier Germanic and Romance sources.

Originally the component words literally meant 'star' and 'having flowers'; over time the compound has been used as a concise botanical descriptor meaning 'having star-shaped flowers'.