Pl. spiculæ. [mod.L., dim. of L. spīca, = L. spīculum SPICULUM.]
1. A sharp-pointed or acicular crystal or similar formation.
1747. trans. Astruc’s Fevers, 83. Whose stomach is lined with a sort of pituita, whereby the spiculæ of this poison are blunted.
1794. R. J. Sulivan, View Nat., I. 426. We have … only to suppose, the particles which are employed in crystallization, to be endowed with a tendency to form spiculæ; and these spiculæ with a tendency to arrange themselves at equal angles of inclination.
1802. Playfair, Illustr. Huttonian Th., 85. Where there is any admixture of that substance [sc. felspar], whether in slender spiculæ or in larger masses.
1825. Faraday, Exp. Res., xxx. 167. A substance comes over in small quantity,… crystallizing in spiculæ in the receiver.
b. esp. A formation of this nature caused by the action of frost.
1783. Phil. Trans., LXXIII. 310. On dropping in a bit of ice,… spiculæ of ice shoot suddenly through the water.
1792. J. Belknap, Hist. New Hampsh., III. 20. The spiculæ [of hoar frost] were of all lengths, from an inch downward.
1854. Brewster, More Worlds, iii. 54. The frozen moisture may fall in spiculæ or crystals of ice.
1888. Athenæum, 6 Oct., 451/3. It was argued that the vapour was changed into ice, and that the higher atmosphere was charged with spiculæ.
2. A small sharp-pointed process on some part of a plant or animal; a prickle.
1753. Chambers’ Cycl., Suppl., s.v. Spider, They all have weapons issuing out of the mouth…. They consist, in some, of two spiculæ, in the manner of a forked hook.
1792. J. Belknap, Hist. New Hampsh., III. 125. It [the prickly ash] is armed with spiculæ, like the locust.
1800. Phil. Trans., XC. 370. The spiculæ on the shark’s skin were also separated.
1815. Kirby & Sp., Entomol., iv. (1818), I. 114. Others are barbed like the spicula of a bee’s sting.
1866. Treas. Bot., 1082/2. Spicula, a fine fleshy erect point.
b. In fungi: = SPICULE 2.
1866. Treas. Bot., 1082/2.
3. Bot. A floral spikelet. rare.
1760. J. Lee, Introd. Bot., III. xxii. (1765), 227. Spicula, a little spike.
1793. Martyn, Lang. Bot., Spicula, a Spicule or Spikelet. A partial spike, or a subdivision of it: as in some Grasses.
1830. Lindley, Nat. Syst. Bot., 293. In certain genera with a simple spike … this is clearly proved by the structure of the terminal flower or spicula.
4. A slender pointed fragment of bone, etc.
1835–6. Todd’s Cycl. Anat., I. 237/1. A spicula of a fractured bone.
1870. H. Lonsdale, Life R. Knox, xii. 249. My finger was caught by a sharp spicula of bone.
5. = SPICULUM 3.
1845. Gosse, Ocean, i. (1849), 53. In the substance of many species [of sponge] … are found spiculæ, or needle-like crystals, of pure flint.
1859. R. Hunt, Guide Mus. Pract. Geol. (ed. 2), 252. Silicious spiculæ or the minute bones of sponges.
6. Comb., as spicula-like; spicula-forceps (see quot. 1875).
1857. Dana, Min. (1862), 124. The fine spicula-like crystalline grains of Epsom salt.
1875. Knight, Dict. Mech., 2265/2. Spicula-forceps, a dentist’s long-nosed forceps for removing small fragments of bone, etc.
