l^H OF THE INFLOUESGENCE. 



A cluster is most generally drooping or pendulous, 

 and the flowers are all expanded nearly at the same 

 time. 



A compound racemiis occurs in Solarium Dulca- 

 mara, t. 565, and an aggregate one, several being 

 gathered together, in Jct^ea racemosa, (92) Dill. Elth. 

 t, 67 ; but the example of a bunch ot Grapes, quoted 

 by LinuKUS for a racemus, appears to me a true 

 thyrsus ; see below. 



Spica,/ 129, a Spike, bears numerous flowers ranged 

 along one common stalk, without any partial stalks, 

 as in SatTjrhun hircinum, Engl. Bot. t. 34, Orchis hi- 

 folia, t. 22, Phmtago major. (93) t. 1558, and media, 

 t. 1559, Potamogeton heterophyllum, t. 1285, and/z/- 

 itans,t. 1286 ; but liiis is so seldom the case, that a 

 little latitude is allowed, Feronica spicata, t. 2, 

 therefore,/ 130, and Ril>es Spcafum, t. 1290, as well 

 as the Common Livendcr, iMiumdula Spica, are sufii- 

 cientU' good examples of a bpikc, though none of 

 them has entirely sessile flowers ; and Linnteus uses 

 the term in numerous instances where it is still less 

 correctly applicable. A spike generally grows erect. 

 Its mode of exp insion is mifch more progressive than 

 that of the raceme, so that a long period elapses be- 

 tween the folding of the low<.st flowers and the open- 

 ing of the upper ones. Tlie flowers are commonly 

 all crowded close together, or if otherwise, they form 

 separate groups, perhaps whorls, when the spike is 



(92) [C.'.llt-rl in the United States, BlacI: Snake Root.] 

 (93j [Greater Planttiiii.l 



