124 



BOTANY OF CROP PLANTS 



rolled to the left. The auricles are lacking, which also dis- 

 tinguishes it from the other cereals. 



Inflorescence. — The spikelets of oats are arranged in a 

 panicle. The branching on the main axis is racemose, that 



Fig. 44. — Diagram of oat inflorescence. (After Broili.) 



of a higher order is cymose (Fig. 44). The number of 

 whorls in a panicle ranges from four to nine, mostly five or 

 six. Apparently, there are a number of primary branches 

 arising at a node. However, there is only one primary branch, 



