367 



^ 8. Inflorescence. In all species the intloresceiice consists of 

 axillary compound cjines or corymbs, starting from the leaf-axils 

 near the top of the twigs. At the top thej' are closer together and 

 often (bj the reduction of the floral leaves) are combined to large 

 terminal decussated panicles or thyrsi. Such terminal panicles also 

 occur in other genera of the group of Cinchoneae, viz. on Cinchona 

 and Ferdinandnsa. 



In the descriptions of the genus (Hookkr — Schumann — Valeton in 

 Ic. bog.) there is wrongly spoken of "thyrsi penduli". Undoubtedly 

 the panicles are erect in all cases (see Elmers' description above, 

 ^ 3), but the ends of the long branching twigs are drooping and 

 proper flowering-branches start sideways from these. In good her- 

 baria it may sometimes be observed how the flowering-branches 

 form an almost right angle with the leaf-twigs. 



The extension and relative length of the axis determine the cha- 

 racter of the inflorescences with respect to the species. First of all 

 two types may be distinguished. 



The simplest case is C. Janoivskii, a New-Guinea-Mountain-liane, 

 where the axilary inflorescences have been reduced to single flowers 

 and the terminal thyrsus to a simple closed raceme. The pedicels 

 are rather long and about midway provided with two biacts. It is 

 highly probable that on more luxuriant branches these bracts are 

 fertile, forming forked cymes (dichasia). 6'. montana likewise has 

 isolated flowers (uniflorous cymes) in the axils of poor flowering- 

 branches and at the top a raceme of 5 flowers. A more luxuriant 

 terminal twig, consisting of 6 internodia, has in the lower axils 

 long-stalked closed racemes, bearing 5 flowers, in the following 

 three-flowered cymes, while the top again forms a closed raceme 

 with linear bracts. The twig of C. Hammii also ends in a raceme 

 of 5 — 7 flowers, but with \Qvy shoit internodes and pedicels, so 

 that the flowers, provided with long corollatubes, are close together 

 and take the shape of an umbel. 



In the second type both the axillary and the tern)inal inflores- 

 cences are compound, and the latter have the shape of corymbi or 

 depressed (almost umbelliform) thyrsi in consequence of the decrease 

 of length towards the apex of the internodes and peduncles; (he 

 axillary ones too are more or less corymbiform. Especially the 

 relative length of the peduncles of the partial inflorescerices, the 

 number and density of the flowers, the number of internodes of the 

 terminal panicles, determine the character of these species. 



C. olacifonnis deviates most of the rest on account of the slight 

 extension of the corymbi and the small number of flowers. The 



