Spadix (botany)

1. Leaves and Inflorescence of the Arum maculatum, 2. Underground root-stock, 3. Lower part of spathe cut open, 4. Spike of fruits- showing in succession (from below) female flowers, male flowers, and sterile flowers forming a ring of hairs borne on the spadix.

In botany, a spadix (pronounced /ˈspeɪdɪks/, "SPAY-dicks"; plural spadices /speɪˈdaɪsiːz/, "spay-DIE-seez") is a type of spike inflorescence having small flowers borne on a fleshy stem. Spadices are typical of the family Araceae, the arums or aroids. The spadix is typically surrounded by a leaf-like curved bract known as a spathe. For example, the "flower" of the well known Anthurium spp. is a typical spadix with a large colorful spathe.^[1]

Monoecious aroids have unisexual male and female flowers on the same individual and the spadix is usually organized with female flowers towards the bottom and male flowers towards the top. Typically, the stigmas are no longer receptive when pollen is released which prevents self-fertilization.

Gallery

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  Elephant ear or ape flower (Xanthosoma sagittifolium) with a white spadix partially surrounded by a green-, rose-, and cream-colored spathe

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  Anthurium scherzerianum inflorescence with spathe and spadix

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  Spadix of Spathiphyllum floribundum

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  Titan arum (Amorphophallus titanum) spadix at the United States Botanic Garden

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  Flamingo Lily (Anthurium andraeanum) at the United States Botanic Garden

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  Jack in the Pulpit (Arisaema triphyllum) in the Allegheny National Forest, Pennsylvania)

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  Calla lily (Zantedeschia aethiopica) in Funchal, Madeira

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  Spadix of Spathiphyllum in Brazil.

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  Spadix of Typha latifolia

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  Spadix of Zantedeschia elliottiana cultivar showing male flowers above with pollen and female below

References

1. spadix. CollinsDictionary.com. Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 11th Edition. Retrieved October 18, 2012.