HARDWICKE'S SCIENCE-GOSSIP. 



149 



We now pass on to the second great division of 

 inflorescences, the determinate or definite. Here the 

 primary axis ends in a solitary bud ; and if but a 

 single floral axis is formed the inflorescence is of the 

 simplest possible description. Should there be more 

 than one axis, the others arise from the first in an 

 axillary manner, but lower down and farther away 

 from the central axis. The flowers expand in a 

 centrifugal manner (centre-flying) and later, as 



secondary axes are three in number, and the arrange- 

 ment is three-divided. It should be noticed that the 

 cymose inflorescence is frequently associated with 

 opposite leaves, though this is not always the case. 

 A very interesting and most curious modification of 

 the cyme is seen in the scorpioidal cyme. This is 

 simply a dichotomous cyme, in which the buds on one 

 side are not developed, thus becoming unilateral. A 

 study of this mode of inflorescence, as seen in the Bora - 



Hg. 121. — White Dead-nettle (Lamium album), with cymose inflorescence 



regards time, than the flower terminating the pri- 

 mary axis. The best example of a definite inflores- 

 cence is the cyme, and can be well studied in the 

 order Caryophyllacece. This cymose inflorescence 

 may be either dichotomus or trichotomous. In the 

 former, the primary axis gives rise by axillary buds to 

 two secondary axes, and each of these again to two 

 others. Thus there is a sort of division by pairs ; 

 hence the term (Si'xa, by twos). In the latter the 



122. — Centaury (Erythrcra Cen/aurea), 

 showing trichotomous cymes. 



ginaceoe {Myosotis, &c. (figs. 119 and 

 120), will be found most interesting 

 and instructive. Should any one feel 

 doubtful as to his correct apprecia- 

 tion of the term cyme, let him at 

 once examine this form of the in- 

 florescence, and his power of inter- 

 preting the mode in which the 

 flowers come off will afford a sure 

 test of his accuracy in this respect. 

 The last form of definite inflorescence 

 that we shall notice is the verticil- 

 laster. Here a pardonable mistake 

 is easily made by the tyro in botany. 

 For to all appearance the flowers 

 are simply arranged in a circle or whorl around the 

 axis. But more prolonged observation shows that this 

 is not the case. In point of fact the inflorescence is 

 cymose — though withal the cymes are nearly sessile — 

 and, of course, the expansion of the flowers is centri- 

 fugal. For this mode of inflorescence the common Dead- 

 nettle {Lamium album, fig. I2l) and other Labiate may 

 be studied. And now we must just touch on the 

 subject of mixed inflorescence. In some cases the 



