: a floral spike with a fleshy or succulent axis usually enclosed in a spathe
Illustration of spadix
1 spadix
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What appears to be a single bloom is actually an enormous inflorescence, a cluster of many tiny flowers at the base of a tall central column called the spadix and surrounded by a deep purple, velvety spathe.—ABC News, 15 Apr. 2026 The actual flowers are contained on the spadix — a yellow spike shape.—Clarence Schmidt, San Diego Union-Tribune, 25 Mar. 2026 Most impressively, the skunk cabbage can keep its spadix at temperatures between 22 and 26°C (71.6 and 78.8°F) for nearly a week, even when the temperature outside falls as low as −10°C (14°F).—Scott Travers, Forbes.com, 19 Mar. 2026 These white leaves provide a beautiful backdrop for the rod-like spadix, which contains the true peace lily blossoms.—Samantha Johnson, Martha Stewart, 6 Feb. 2026 Native to Indonesia, the flower closed its spathe Friday and its yellow spadix will fall off, Underwood said.—Ishani Desai, Sacbee.com, 31 Oct. 2025 Inside the giant petal-like leaf called a spathe, each plant has a central spike called a spadix that is ringed with many rows of tiny female and male flowers near its base.—Delphine Farmer, The Conversation, 16 Sep. 2025 Inside the spathe is a 2-inch-long spadix upon which miniature button-like yellow flowers reside.—Sheryl De Vore, Chicago Tribune, 15 Apr. 2025
Word History
Etymology
New Latin spadic-, spadix, from Latin, frond torn from a palm tree, from Greek spadik-, spadix, from span to draw, pull