/spay"diks/ , n. , pl. spadices /spay duy"seez, spay"deuh seez'/ . Bot.
an inflorescence consisting of a spike with a fleshy or thickened axis, usually enclosed in a spathe. See illus. under inflorescence .
[ 1750-60; spadix a broken palm branch and its fruit spádix a torn-off palm bough, chestnut brown; akin to spân to tear off ]