spacefiller

noun2

1. •
   A stamp in poor condition used to fill a space in an album until a better quality example becomes available, or if the better example is prohibitively expensive.
2. •
   A pattern that grows quadratically by filling space with still life.

   • Spacefiller patterns might possibly even be within reach of current search programs; these would have much more predictable (and higher) growth rates from the start. — 2008