BOTANICAL NAMES 201 



spikes " ; i.e., the flowers grow in spikes. Second 



bot. name. 

 Spica-Venti (spi-ka-ven-ti). L. " Spica " (an ear); 



" venti " (of the wind); because the silky spikes 



shake in the wind. Second bot. name. 

 Spignel (spigf-nel). Eng. name of Meum group; said 



to be a corruption of " spike nail." 

 Spikelet (spik-let). A botanical term for the small 



cluster of flowers seen in the Grasses. 

 Spikenard (spik-nard). Eng. name for Inula Conyza, 



which is called Ploughman Spikenard. Spikenard 



is " spike," an ear or spike of the " nard," an 



aromatic Indian grass. 

 Spindle-Tree. Eng. name for Evonymous group. The 



wood of the tree, being tough and hard, was much 



used for making spindles, hence the name. 

 Spinosa (spin-o-sa). L. adj., " full of spines," Second 



bot. name. 

 Spinosisima (spin-o-sis-im-a). L. adj., superlative of 



" spinosa"; i.e., plant covered with spines. 



Second bot. name. 

 Spinulosum (spin-u-lo-sum). L. adj., " full of small 



spines." Second bot. name. 

 Spiraea (spi-re-a). G. name for Meadow Sweet. Bot. 



name of a group. 

 Spiranthes (spir-anth-es). G. " Speir " (twisted round); 



" anthus " (a flower); i.e., flowers grow spirally 



up the stalk. Bot. name Lady's Tresses' group. 

 Spleen Wort. Eng. name for Asplenium group, and 



partial translation of its bot. name. 

 Sponhemica (spon-hem-i-ka). Second bot. name variety 



Cut-leaved Saxifrage. 

 Spruce (sproos). German. " Sprossen " (a sprout); 



