Spike

Spike, a form of inflorescence in which the peduncle is elongated, the flowers are sessile, an(l the order of opening is acropetal. A c01ll)Jound spilw occms in wheat, its snmll c?mpone~t spikes being termed spuwlets. The spikelet~ in ot~el grasses are variously arranged. A shjlple sjjtlcc occurs in the plantains. The catldn differs mainly in being rleciduous; the spadix, (q.v.) in having a fleshy peduncle.