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 is a type of spike inflorescence having small flowers borne on a fleshy stem. Spadix are typical of the Family Araceae known as 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.

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 stigma is no longer receptive when pollen is released which prevents self-fertilization.

Gallery

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  Elephant ear or ape flower (Xanthosoma roseum) 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