AXILE ORGANS. 



351 



From the instances cited it is clear that branching 

 of tlie inflorescence occurs most frequently in those 

 plants naturally chai'acterised by a dense compact 



Fig. 182. Broccoli, with six perfect heads on one stalk (' Gard. 

 Chron.,' 1856, Oct. 25). 



mode of growth, whether that be definite or indefinite, 

 as in spikes, umbels, capitula, &c. ; so that compound 

 spikes, umbels, &c., are formed in the place of simple 

 ones (see also prolification of the inflorescence, p. 102). 



Increased number of florets in the individual spikelets of 

 grasses is also met with under some circumstances. I 

 have seen this in Hordeum and Lollum, and an instance 

 is figured in Avena by Dr. Wiegmann.* M. Duval Jouve' 

 records a similar occun'ence in Cafabrosa aqiiaticaf the 

 spikelets of which contained from two to seven flowers.' 



'Flora,' 1831, p. 6, tab. i; see also Hanstein, ' Flora,' 1857, p. 513. 

 Schlechtendal, ' Bot. Zeit.,* xviii, p. 381. 



- ' Bull. Soc. Bot. Fr.,' ix, p. 8. 



' It will lie seen, from what has been just said, that in some of the 

 cases where the axile organs, branches, &c., appear to be multiplied, the 

 increased number is due to subdivision rather than to renewed forma- 

 tion (see Fission). Of this last description is an instance which came 

 under the writer's notice after the section relating to that subject was in 

 print, and which may therefore here be alluded to. The instance is that 



