a. Bot. ? Obs. [f. L. spīca spike.] Spicate; spiky, pointed.
1658. Sir T. Browne, Gard. Cyrus, iii. 46. The seeds about the spicous head or torch of Tapsus Barbatus.
1694. Westmacott, Script. Herb. (1695), 8. The Fruit or Apples … are … coated and armed with many spicous Pricks.
[1775. in Ash. Hence in later Dicts.]
Hence Spicousness. rare–0.
1730. Bailey (fol.), Spicousness, a being spiked like Ears of Corn; also Fulness of Ears.
