What Is The Botany Spike?

A spike is a type of raceme with flowers attached directly to the axis at the axil of each leaf, unlike a raceme. Examples include the cattail ( Typha) and the fleshy spike characteristic of the Araceae. A racemose corymb is an unbranched, indeterminate inflorescence that is flat-topped or convex due to their indeterminate or racemose structure. Spikeletes are arranged in a spike inflorescence, which is composed of several to many spikelets combined on a main axis called the rachis. Some spikes have sessile flowers, attached directly to a central axis.

A spike is similar to a raceme but bears sessile flowers without stalks. Examples of spikes occur on Malabar nut (Justicia adhatoda) and chaff flowers (genus Achyranthes). The fleshy spike develops male flowers above and female flowers below. A spadix is a spike borne on a fleshy stem and is common in various plants.

The difference between a spike and a spadix is that a spike has an unbranched stem and the flowers open from the base up, joining directly to the stem. Spikeletes are arranged in a spike inflorescence, which is composed of several to many spikelets combined on a main axis called the rachis. Examples of spikes include the cockscomb (Celosia spicata) and golden clubs (Orontium aquaticum).

What is an example of a spike inflorescence?

Spike posits that flowers lacking pedicels are arranged in an acropetal manner, citing amaranth and latjira as examples.

What are spikes on plants?

Plant morphology includes thorns, spines, prickles, and spinose structures, which are hard, rigid extensions or modifications of leaves, roots, stems, or buds with sharp, stiff ends. These structures serve the same function of physically defending plants against herbivory. Thorns are derived from shoots, spines are from leaves, and prickles are derived from epidermis tissue. Leaf margins may have sharp spinose teeth, which are considered a kind of spine.

Spinose teeth on a spinose leaf margin are called spinose teeth. On a leaf apex, an apical process, usually an extension of the midvein, is especially sharp, stiff, and spine-like and may be referred to as spinose or a pungent apical process. When the leaf epidermis is covered with very long, stiff trichomes, it may be referred to as a hispid vestiture, or a urent vestiture if the trichomes are stinging.

In botanical terms, thorns, spines, prickles, and spinose structures are derived from shoots, leaves, epidermis tissue, and can be found anywhere on the plant. Spinose teeth on a spinose leaf margin are considered a type of spine.

What is called a spike?

A spike is a long, thin, sharp-pointed implement made of wood or metal, used to effect an end. It can be used to protect hedgehogs from predators, fasten railroad ties to rails, or be used to spike heels. Spikes can be big or small, and can be used to increase or decrease something, such as the price of sugar or a fever. To spike a volleyball, smash it over the net. The term “spike” shares a root with the Latin word “spina”, meaning “spine or thorn”.

What is the difference between spike and spikelet?

Spike inflorescence is a type of inflorescence where the main axis grows without branching and flowers are without pedicel. These sessile flowers are directly attached to the stalk, and are found in grass species like wheat and barley. The central axis to which they are attached is called the rachis. Spikelets, which are individual flower units, form a spike together. They have glumes, two scaly bracts at the base, and the number of florets varies in different species. The bracts enclose the reproductive organs of the floret, with the external bract being larger and the interior bract being smaller.

What is a spikes plant?

Dracaena, a spike plant, is a popular choice in annual container gardens due to its height and textural contrast. Its unique features include spiky, upright leaves that enhance the beauty of annual flowers. Proper light and water are crucial for dracaena growth, as they can adapt to low light conditions. Propagated dracaena ensures optimal growth and leaf coloration, making it a versatile and attractive plant to consider.

What is in a spike?

The practice of drink spiking entails the utilization of recreational drugs, such as Ecstasy, LSD, and Ketamine, for the purpose of adulterating alcoholic beverages. This practice has the potential to be hazardous, as it can result in adverse health consequences, including nausea and coma. The symptoms associated with substance-spiked drinks can vary depending on the substance in question. Some of the potential symptoms include:

What is spike and example?

Spikes are narrow, thin shapes with a sharp point at one end, often used in metal to prevent climbing. They can be drawn in the range of spike length for oscillation against shoulder radius. Neurons in sensory systems’ spike trains are correlated with sensory input structure, as seen in the transmission at the retino-geniculate synapse in cats, which is influenced by the structure of pre- and postsynaptic spike trains.

What is spiking in plants?

A spike is a raceme with flowers developing directly from the stem, in contrast to barley, which has flowers borne on pedicels. In contrast to barley, these flowers are attached to the axis at the leaf axil. An exemplar is the cattail, a fleshy spike that is characteristic of the Araceae family.

What is the spike of a plant?

Spikes are inflorescences with sessile flowers on terminal spikes that bloom from the bottom up. They are characteristic of grasses and the Cyperaceae (sedge family), with sedge flowers arranged on the axis of solitary or clustered spikes or spikelets. Two plants with inflorescences that meet the technical definition of spike are annual Celosia spicata (wheat celosia) and native perennial Verbena hastata (blue vervain). Spikes are also characteristic of grasses and the Cyperaceae (sedge family).

Liatris spicata, a native species with the same epithet as wheat celosia, is technically not a spike. Its sessile flowers are determinate or cymose, opening from the top down, rather than racemose. Despite being often referred to as spikes, various floras describe them as spiciform or spike-like arrangements.

What are spikes in botany?

Spike is a type of racemose inflorescence that is similar to a raceme but lacks a stalk. It is attached directly to the plant without a stalk, as is the case with chaff flowers from the Achyranthes genus.

What is the difference between spike and inflorescence?

A raceme is an unbranched, indeterminate inflorescence with pedicellate flowers along the axis. Spikes are unbranched racemes without a pedicel, while racemose corymbs are flat-topped or convex due to longer outer pedicels. Umbels have a short axis and multiple floral pedicels, while spadixes are densely arranged spikes with a specialized bract. A flower head or capitulum is a contracted raceme with single sessile flowers on an enlarged stem, while catkins or aments are scaly, generally drooping spikes or racemes. Cymoses or other complex inflorescences are also commonly called so.