V^ . ■. X , ' 



AN ANCESTRAL TYPE OF FLOWER CLUSTER 



This is a compound inflorescence formed from the head of Hypochearis radicata (commonly 

 called Cat' s-Ear) growing wild. It may be considered as the reappearance of an ancestral type 

 of nflorescence which characterized the family at some remote penod. The flower head a the 

 end of the stem should normally have been very similar to our common dandelion. Some smiple 

 umbels, or flower clusters, and unopened flower buds are shown at the bottom. Photograph 

 natural size. (Fig. 18.) 



