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Spadix (botany)

Type of inflorescence

Diagram of spadix

In botany, a spadix (: spadices) is a type of 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.

In this type of inflorescence, the peduncle is thick, long and fleshy, having small sessile unisexual flowers covered with one or more large green or colourful bracts (spathe). Spadix inflorescence is found in colocasia, aroids, maize and palms (palms have compound spadix).

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.

In the compound spadix inflorescence, the axis is branched. Usually the whole inflorescence is covered by a stiff boat-shaped hood, for example the coconut (palms).

In many arums with unisexual (imperfect) spadices, the upper portion of the spadix contains infertile male flowers and is referred to as the appendix. The appendix in certain species, such as Amorphophallus paeoniifolius, is enlarged, highly modified and shows variability in shape.

Male florets and the appendix may participate in thermogenesis.

Gallery

Image:Arum flower.jpg|Elephant ear or ape flower (Xanthosoma sagittifolium) with a white spadix partially surrounded by a green-, rose-, and cream-colored spathe Image:Anthurium scherzerianum 2.jpg|Anthurium scherzerianum inflorescence with spathe and spadix Image:Spathiphyllum floribundum1.jpg|Spadix of Spathiphyllum floribundum Image:Titan-arum1web.jpg| Titan arum (Amorphophallus titanum) spadix at the United States Botanic Garden Image:Flamingo Flower.JPG| Flamingo Lily (Anthurium andraeanum) at the United States Botanic Garden Image:Jack in the pupit.jpg| Jack in the Pulpit (Arisaema triphyllum) in the Allegheny National Forest, Pennsylvania) Image:Funchal - Zantedeschia aethiopica IMG 1904.JPG|Calla lily (Zantedeschia aethiopica) in Funchal, Madeira Image:Spadix of Spathiphyllum wallisii.JPG|Spadix of Spathiphyllum in Brazil Image:Typha latifolia nf.jpg|Spadix of Typha latifolia Image:Zantedeschia Spadix.jpg|Spadix of Zantedeschia elliottiana cultivar showing male flowers above with pollen and female below Image:Spathiphyllum cochlearispathum RTBG.jpg|Peace lily (Spathiphyllum cochlearispathum) clearly showing the characteristic spadix and spathe of the genus Image:Solitary flower of ZZ Plant (Zamioculcas zamiifolia).jpg|Spadix of ZZ plant (Zamioculcas zamiifolia) with curled back spathe

References

[http://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/spadix spadix]. CollinsDictionary.com. Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 11th Edition. Retrieved October 18, 2012.
(2009). "Developmental changes and organelle biogenesis in the reproductive organs of thermogenic skunk cabbage (''Symplocarpus renifolius'')". Journal of Experimental Botany.
(2020). "Inflorescence morphology and development of swung (''Amorphophallus paeoniifolius'' (Dennst.) Nicolson". Biodiversitas.
(2002). "Phylogeny of the Tribe Thomsonieae (Araceae) Based on Chloroplast ''matK'' and ''trnL'' Intron Sequences". Systematic Botany.
(2012). "Reconstructing the origin and elaboration of insect-trapping inflorescences in the Araceae". American Journal of Botany.
(2009). "Size Variations of Flowering Characters in ''Arum maculatum'' (Araceae)". Aroideana.
(2022). "Transcriptomic analysis of deceptively pollinated ''Arum maculatum'' (Araceae) reveals association between terpene synthase expression in floral trap chamber and species-specific pollinator attraction". G3.

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plant-morphology pollination

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