spadix

a racemose inflorescence having many small sessile flowers borne on a fleshy stem, the whole usually being surrounded by a spathe: typical of aroid plants

Collins Discovery Encyclopedia, 1st edition © HarperCollins Publishers 2005

spadix

[′spā·diks]

(botany)

A fleshy spike that is enclosed in a leaflike spathe and is the characteristic inflorescence of palms and arums.

(invertebrate zoology)

A cone-shaped structure in male Nautiloidea formed of four modified tentacles, and believed to be homologous with the hectocotylus in male squids.

The following article is from The Great Soviet Encyclopedia (1979). It might be outdated or ideologically biased.

Spadix

a floral spike with a thick, fleshy axis on which sessile flowers are arranged; the flowers are often close together. Spa-dices characterize such plants as water arum, arum, and sweet flag. A large leaf, or spathe, more or less envelops the base of the spadix. The spathe, which is often brightly colored, serves to protect the spadix and to attract insect pollinators. Sometimes the spadix is a component of a compound inflorescence, as seen in many palms.

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References in periodicals archive

Plants in the clade Araceae possess a characteristic inflorescence consisting of a vase-like, ensheathing modified leaf or spathe that surrounds a slender finger-like spadix. The spadix often consists of a proximal reproductive zone and a distal, sterile appendix.

Spadix function in the jack-in-the-pulpit, Arisaema triphyllum

The names which NBP mentioned are Spadix Pharmaceutical Company, Goodman Pharmaceutical Company, Sanitory Works (Fayyazi Gujranwala Industries (Pvt) Ltd), Cable Works (Fayyazi Gujranwala Industries (Pvt) Ltd), AL-Hassan Autos (Pvt) Ltd and Marble Export

SECP initiated inquiry against illegal investment schemes

The weevils will typically rest in protected areas near the apez or base of the spadix where they are covered in part by the spathe, and move only minimally for minutes to hours.

Pollination of Anthurium (Araceae) by derelomine flower weevils (Coleoptera: Curculionidae)

Strip an autumn spadix into the breeze, with the sun downwind, and half the sky fills with backlit parachutes.

Just Add Water

Unique Characteristics: Flower is not a true "lily," but is often referred to as such; spathe of color surrounds the spadix.

Botanical entries: flowers and fruits

A spadix (SPAY-diks) is a thick or fleshy flower spike usually surrounded by a conspicuous or colorful bract called a spathe.

Chapter 9 Nomenclature and postharvest physiology

Name Origin: From the Greek words anthos (flower) and oura (tail), referring to the tail-like inflorescence or spadix.

Appendix

The fruiting spadix now carries about 220 bright orange berries.

Letters

A particular form of inflorescence typifies some plant families, such as the compound umbel of Apiaceae (Umbelliferae), the ultimate spike of Gramineae, the capitulum or head of Asteraceae, the helicoid cyme of Boraginaceae, and the spadix of Araceae.

The Inflorescence: Introduction

Resembling fluted cups, flower bracts (called spathes) - pure white, cream, gold, yellow, pink, or spotted - surround a central yellow flower spike (spadix).

Summer's show-off bulbs

Reproductive shoots develop iteratively over several months by growing new branches, each terminating in a spadix or spike of flowers that also develops sequentially over days.

Surfgrass (Phyllospadix torreyi) reproduction: reproductive phenology, resource allocation and male rarity