476 A COMPENDIUM OF 
Soporific—so’-po-rif’-ic (Lat. sopor, a heavy 
sleep, and facio, I make). Any drug having 
the power to produce or induce sleep. 
Soredia—so-re’-di-a (Gr. soros, a pile or heap). 
The powdery-looking cells on the surface of 
the thallus of many lichens, 
Sorus, plural, Sori (Gr. soros, a pile or heap). 
The patches of reproduction on the under 
side of fern leaves or fronds, and are known 
as sporangia. 
Sorosis—so-ro’-sis (Gr soros, a pile or heap). 
A fleshy fruit formed by the aggregation or 
consolidation of many flowers, seed vessels, 
etc. Example: pineapples, etc. 
Spadix—spa’-diks, plural Spadices (Lat. and 
Gr. spadix,a palm branch broken off together 
with its fruit of a dark or nut brown color). 
An inflorescence in which the flowers are ar- 
ranged around a thick, large leaf termed a 
spathe, 
Spathe, also Spatha—(Lat. spatha; Gr. spathe, 
a broad blade). A kind of leaf or branch 
covering a Spadix, covering numerous 
flowers, 
Spatulate—spat’-u-lat (Lat. spathula, a spoon). 
Shaped like a Spatula or spoon. handle; ap- 
plied to leaves narrow and rounded at the 
apex, and narrow at the base. : 
Spike—(Ital. Spica, a wheel; Lat. Spica, an ear 
of corn). Numerous flowers sessile on a single 
stem or axis, as the lavender, wheat, etc. 
Spiniferous—spi-nif’. er-us (Latin  spinifer, 
thorn-bearing, from Spina, a thorn, and /ero, 
I bear). Producing or bearing thorns or 
spines, 
