SPI 



390 



SPL 



normally distended into a cavity, 

 which may contain air. 



Spinacia, n., spln-d'si-a (L. spina, 

 a thorn), a genus of plants, Ord. 

 Chenopodiacese, so named from 

 their prickly fruit : Spinacia 

 oleracea, $l'>$r-d's$'a (L. olerdce- 

 us, herb- like from olus, a kitchen 

 herb), spinach, a well-known pot- 

 herb: spinaceous, a., spin-d'-shus, 

 pert, to spinach, or to the species 

 of the genus, Spinacia. 



spinalis cervicis, spln-dl'is serv- 

 is'4s (L. spinalis, spinal ; cervix, 

 the neck, cervicis, of the neck), 

 the spinal muscle of the neck, 

 consisting of a few irregular 

 bundles of fibres, arising from 

 the spines of the fifth and sixth 

 cervical, and inserted into the 

 spine of the axis : spinalis dorsi, 

 dtirs'i (L. dorsum, the back, 

 dorsi, of the back), the spinal 

 cord of the back, a long narrow 

 muscle placed at the inner side of 

 the longissiinus dorsi, and closely 

 connected with it. 



spine, n., spin, also spinus, n., 

 spines (L. spina, a thorn, a 

 spine), the vertebral column or 

 backbone, so called from its 

 series of thorn-like processes ; in 

 bot., an abortive branch with a 

 hard sharp point : spinal, a., 

 spin'al, of or relating to the 

 backbone : spinal column, the 

 connected vertebrae of the back : 

 spinal cord, the greyish-white 

 matter lodged in the interior of 

 the spinal column or backbone : 

 spinal meningitis (see under 

 * meninges '), inflammation of the 

 membranes of the spinal cord : 

 spinitis, n., spln-tt'is, inflamma- 

 tion of the spine. 



spinescent, a., apfti-gfCa&if (L. 

 spina, a thorn), bearing spines : 

 spinose, a., spln-oz', also spinous, 

 a., spines, full of spines; thorny; 

 spinescent. 



spinneret, n., splri-ribr-Zt (Icel. 

 spinna, Ger. spinnen, to spin), 

 among certain insects, an organ 



with which they form their silk 

 or webs, as spiders and cater- 

 pillars. 



spiracle, n., splr'-a-ld (L. spirdcti- 

 lum, an air-hole from spiro, I 

 breathe), the breathing pores, or 

 apertures of the breathing tubes 

 of insects ; the single nostril of 

 the hag-fishes; the blow-hole of 

 cetaceans. 



Spiraeeaa, n. plu., splr &'$ (Gr. 

 speirdo, I wind round or about), 

 a Sub-order of the Ord. Rosacese : 

 Spiraea, n., splr -e' a, an extensive 

 genus of handsome plants in 

 flower, among which is the frag- 

 rant-blossomed Meadow-sweet. 



spiral, a., splr'al (L. splra, Gr. 

 spelra, a coil, a fold), winding 

 like a screw : spiral vessels, in 

 bot., vessels which have spiral 

 fibres coiled up inside tubes. 



spirillum, n., splr-U'-ltim, spirilla, 

 n. plu., spir'tt''la (L. splra, a 

 coil, a fold), in bot., moving 

 filaments in the antheridia of 

 Cryptogams ; spermatozoids ; in 

 phys., organisms in the blood of 

 persons suffering from relapsing 

 fever. 



spiroid, n. , splr'-oyd (Gr. speira, a 

 coil, a fold ; eidos, resemblance), 

 resembling a spiral : spiroidea, 

 n. plu., splr'd^d^a, spiral 

 vessels see 'spiral': spirolobese, 

 n. plu., splr<6''ldb'$'e (Gr. lobos, 

 a lobe), in bot., Cruciferse which 

 have the cotyledons folded trans- 

 versely, and the radicle dorsal. 



Spiroptera, n. plu., splr-dp'ter-a 

 (L. splra, a coil, a convolution ; 

 Gr. pt%r$n, a wing), a genus of 

 intestinal parasites whose species 

 are found in various animals : 

 spiropterous, a., splr-Sp^r'US, 

 in anat. , having a spiral tail with 

 membranous wing - like expan- 

 sions. 



splanchnic, a., splangk'mk (Gr. 

 splangchnon an entrail), in anat. , 

 belonging to the viscera or 

 entrails ; applied to three sym- 

 pathetic nerves which supply 



