Flowers and their Parts 



145 



the base of the corolla tube so that it can be obtained only 

 through narrow slits. The downward hanging hairs in Micro- 

 loma are said to guard against flies. 



Arrangement of Flowers on the Stalk.— Antho- 

 taxy (or inflorescence) is a term applied to the arrangement 

 of flowers as phyllotaxy applies to leaf arrangement. Some of 

 our large flowers, as Hypoxis 

 stellata Linn. (Peacock's 

 Eyes) are borne singly on 

 the end of the flower stalk. 

 Others, as Malvastrum and 

 Hermannia, are borne singly 

 in the axils of the leaves ; 

 the main stem can then 

 continue to lengthen. If 

 the peduncle or flower stalk 

 arises from the ground and 

 bears hardly any or no 

 leaves it is termed a scape. 

 Fig. 139 shows a scape 

 bearing a cluster of flowers. 

 The ovary of each flower 

 is sessile, or borne close 

 upon the stem. The an- 

 thotaxy is a spike. 



A raceme has the 

 flowers attached to the main 

 stalk or axis by a short stalk. If the lower stalks are lengthened 

 and the upper ones shortened, the raceme is a corymb. If the 

 stalks themselves are branched, the inflorescence is a panicle. 

 This is common in the grasses, the Vine, and the Olive. In 

 grasses it is a panicle of spikelets instead of single flowers. 



The spike and raceme have a lengthened axis. A capi- 

 tulum or flower head has a shortened axis and sessile flowers, 

 as in the Everlasting family and Protea ; for here what looks 

 like a single flower is really a cluster of many flowers. If the 

 flowers are borne on pedicels which spring from the same 

 height on the axis, we have an umbel. The Carrot family 



10 



Fig. 141, 



-Corymbose raceme of Albuca 

 minor Linn. 



