138 BOTANICAL EXPLANATIONS. 



INFLORESCENCE, OR MANNER OF FLOWERING . 



1. Whorl. An assemblage of flowers surrounding the 

 stem or its branches, constitute a whorl or ring: this is see i 

 in the Mint and many of the labiate plants. 



2. Raceme, or cluster, consists of numerous flowers earn 

 on its own stalk or pedicle, and all arranged on one commo i 

 peduncle; as a bunch of Currants. 



3. Panicle, bears the flowers in a kind of loose subdivide J 

 bunch or cluster, without any regular order; as in the Oa . 

 A panicle contracted into a compact, somewhat ovate form, 

 as in the Lilac, is called a Tltyrse, or bunch; a bunch if 

 Grapes is a good example. 



4. Spike. This is an assemblage of flowers arising fron 

 the sides of a common stem: the flowers are sessile, or with 

 very short peduncles; as the Wheat and the Mullein. 



5. Umbel, several flower-stalks, of nearly equal length, 

 spreading out from a common center, like the rays of a;i 

 umbrella, bearing flowers on their summits ; as Fennel an 1 

 Carrot. 



6. Cyme resembles an umbel in having its common stalks 

 all spring from one center, but differs in having those stalks 

 irregularly subdivided ; as the Snow-ball and Elder. 



7. Corymb) or false umbel when the peduncles rise from 

 different heights above the main stem ; but the lower ones 

 being longer, they form nearly a level, or convex top ; as, the 

 Yarrow. 



8. Fascicle, flowers on little stalks variously inserted and 

 subdivided, collected into a close bundle, level at the top ; as 

 the^ Sweet William. 



9. Head, or tuft, has sessile flowers heaped together in a 

 globular form; as in the Clover. 



