ORGANS OF REPRODUCTION. 



201 



which has a membranous bract or scale at its base. It is seen 

 in the Hop (Humulus Lupulus) (fiy. 398). 



Fig. 399. 



Fiy, 398. 



Strobile of the Hop {Humvlus 



Lupulus). Fig. 39;). Kaceme 



of a species of Cherry t^Cerasus). 



All the kinds of indefinite inflorescence at present described 

 owe their essential characters to the flowers being .sessile upon 

 an elongated axis. We now pass to describe others, in which 

 the primary axis is more or less branched, and the flowers con- 

 sequently situated upon stalks. The simplest of these is the 

 Eaceme. 



g. The Raceme. — This name is applied to that form of inflo- 

 rescence in which the primary axis is elongated, and bears 

 flowers placed on pedicels of nearly equal h'ugth (Jiy. 399). 

 It diflers from the spike only, in the flowers being stalked in- 

 stead of sessile. Examples occur in the Currant, Mignonette, 

 Hyacinth, Laburnum, Barberry, Fumitory, &c. 



h. The Corymb. — This is a kind of raceme in which the pedi- 

 cels are of different lengths, viz. those at the base of the primary 

 axis longer than those toAvards and at the apex, so that the 

 whole form a level, or slightly convex top. It occurs in some 

 species of Cerasus (Jiy. 400), the Hawthorn, &c. When the 

 stalks or secondary axes of a corymb instead of bearing flowers 

 immediately, divide and form tertiary or other axes, upon whicli 

 they are placed, it is termed compound or branching, as in some 

 species of Pyms (Jiy. 401), &c. It sometimes happens that 

 when the flowers are first developed they form a corymb, but as 

 the primary axis elongates a raceme is produced. This may be 

 seen in many Cruciferous Plants. 



