SO DESCRIPTIVE BOTANY. PART I. 



Flower-buds ought consequently to make their appear- 

 ance on similar parts of the stem and branches with the 

 leaf-buds, viz. in the axils of the leaves ; and the de- 

 velopment of each will present us with analogous 

 phenomena. However different in their external cha- 

 racters, still the various parts of the inflorescence must 

 bear a strong affinity to those of the foliaceous append- 

 ages on the branch. 



(86.) Inflorescence. In this term we include, not 

 merely the flower which proceeds from the development 

 of the flower-bud, but also the stalk on which it is 

 placed, and any of those other various appendages upon 

 it, which are always more or less distinct from true leaves. 

 The more general term for the flower-stalk is " pedun- 

 cle," but the term " pedicel " is also used in a re- 

 stricted sense, where there are partial flower-stalks seated 

 upon a common peduncle. The flower-stalk is more 

 or less dilated at the apex, when there are several flowers 

 closely crowded upon it, and without distinct pedicels, 

 as in the order Composite. Such dilatations of the 

 flower-stalks receive the general name of " receptacles," 

 but other terms are specially applied to some of their mo- 

 difications. The foliaceous appendages on the peduncle, 

 which more or less resemble the stem-leaves, but which 

 are also sometimes reduced to the condition of mere 

 scales, are called "bractete." The flower terminates 

 the pedicel, and is composed of certain foliaceous ap- 

 pendages, which are still further removed from the 

 character and condition of leaves, than the bractete. 

 The analogy which exists between the various parts of 

 a leaf-branch and those organs which compose the in- 

 florescence, is very often exhibited in certain monstrosities 

 of the rose; where we find the central parts of the flower, 

 instead of assuming their usual character, become deve- 

 loped as a branch. It sometimes happens that this 

 monstrous development will again make an effort to pass 

 to the state of a flower, and then the central parts will 

 a second time assume the condition of a branch. In the 

 Water-avens (Geum rivale, Jig. 77-) this description of 



