'tubular-flowered' originates from Modern English as a compound of 'tubular' and 'flowered'; 'tubular' traces back to Latin 'tubulus' (from 'tubus') where 'tubus' meant 'tube', and 'flowered' is formed from 'flower' which comes via Old French 'flor' from Latin 'flos, floris' meaning 'flower'.

'tubular' developed from Latin 'tubulus' → Late Latin/'Medieval Latin' forms (e.g. 'tubularis') and entered English as 'tubular'; 'flower' came into English via Old French 'flor' from Latin 'flos, floris', later forming the participial/adjectival 'flowered', and the compound 'tubular-flowered' was formed in Modern English to describe flower shape.

Initially the components referred separately to 'tube' and 'blossom'; over time the compound came to mean specifically 'having tube-shaped flowers' in botanical usage.