'stylar-dimorphic' originates from modern scientific formation combining two elements: 'stylar' (from 'style', ultimately from Latin 'stylus' and Greek 'stylos', where 'stylos' meant 'pillar/column') and 'dimorphic' (from Greek components 'di-' meaning 'two' and 'morphē' meaning 'form').

'stylar' developed from English 'style' (via botanical usage 'style' for the pistil part) and was adapted as the adjective 'stylar'; 'dimorphic' comes from Greek 'dimorphos' via Neo-Latin/Modern scientific usage into English as 'dimorphic', and the compound 'stylar-dimorphic' arose in botanical descriptions in modern scientific English.

Initially the roots referred generally to 'pillar/column' ('stylos') and 'two forms' ('di- + morphē'); in botanical usage the compound came to mean specifically 'having two forms of the style', a specialized technical meaning retained in modern usage.