BOTANIC MATERIA MEDICA, 477 
Spongioles—plural, spun’-ji-olz (Lat. spongt- 
ola, from spongia, a sponge). The extrem- 
ities of the roots, rootlets; the absorber of 
nutrition from the earth. 
Sporangium—spo-ran’-ji-um, also Sporangia, 
(Gr. spora, seed, anggos, a vessel). The cov- 
ering of the spores of some of the crypto- 
gamic order of plants. 
Spore, Spor—also Sporule (Gr. spora, a seed), 
One of the minute grains in the flowerless 
plants which reproduce the plant, as the seed 
in the flowering plants. Examples found in 
the club mosses and ferns. 
Spurge—(Fr. espurger, to purge, to cleanse; 
Lat. purgo, I purge). The name of a med- 
icinal plant of biting taste and cathartic in 
action; a name applied to quite a number of 
plants, order Euphorbiacez. 
Squarrose—skwor’-ros, also spelled Squar- 
rous (Lat. sguarrosus, roughness of the skin), 
Applied in botany to leaves whose surfaces 
are covered with scales, small projections, 
etc. The term squarrosa is used to indicate 
the variety of the plant. 
Squill—skwil (Fr. sguzlle; Spanish esquila,; Lat. 
scilla, Gr. skilla, the sea onion), A lily-like 
plant with a root much like an onion in shape, 
used in medicine; a drug. 
Stalk—(Danish sti/k; Gr. stelechos, a stem, a 
stump). The stem or main prop of a plant. 
See caulis stipule. 
Stamen—sta’men, plural Stamens (Lat. sva- 
men, from sto, I stand, the thread that hangs 
from the distaff), The male organs of a 
