142 



ANTHOTAXY, OR INFLORESCENCE. 



fugacious. Each flower is subtended by (grows from the axil 

 of) u bract in Fig. 277-2.SO, &c. A cluster <>!' flowers is sub- 

 tended by a conspicuous and colored bract iu Fig. '2C>'.>. 270. 271 ; 

 by a circle of colored bracts, imitating white petals, in Fig. 2'.-l. 

 Si-ATiiE is the name given to such an enclosing bract, or 

 to two or more leaves successively enclosing a flower-cluster. 



271 



INVOLUCRE is the name given to a circle or spiral collection of 

 bracts around a flower-cluster, as in Cornel (Fig. 294, also in Fig. 

 280 and 286), or around a single flower, as in Ilepatica and 

 Mallow. A compound inflorescence may have both a general 

 and a partial involucre, one tor the general flower-cluster, others 

 subtending the partial clusters. The name of involucre is then 

 reserved lor the general one ; that of 



INVOLUCEL is applied to the partial, secondary, or ultimate 

 involucres. 



P>I;A( TI.KTS (Lat. Hnictcola, diminutive of bract) are bracts of 

 ? secondary or ultimate order. For example, in the slender 

 flower-cluster. Fig. "111. 1> is a bract, subtending each individual 

 flower-stalk ; b' is a bract lei, or bract of secondary order, borne 

 on thai part ial llower-stalk itself. The French naturally translate' 

 the Latin />r<irf,'i,/<r into l-cteole (pi. bracteoles) : in English, 

 bracth't is an idiomatic and better diminutive. 



PALETS (Lat. Palece), also called Chnjf, are diminutive or 



FIG. 270. Monophyllona spathe of Indian Turnip, with tip more erect. L'Ti. Spathe 

 and spailix of Culla. - J7i!. Itaceme of Cherry, leafy at base. 273. Dichotomous cyme. 

 274. Panicle of Meadow-Grass. 275. A corymb. 



