The Forms of Flower Clusters. 



93 



and the growth extended a few nodes farther. (Dotted lines 

 show the positions of the lower two branches which are miss- 

 ing in b.} In b then only one of the pair of axillary buds at 

 each node grew. The bracts are alternate in c and each 

 axillary bud became a branch which produced but one 

 ordinary in tern ode and node (pyiomer), the 

 second internode being a peduncle ending in 

 the receptacle which is a compound node. 

 This reminds us of the grape vine, the upper 

 portion of which is made up of branches each 

 of which develops but one normal internode 

 and then becomes a tendril (see Fig. 48, p. 61). 

 Compare b in Fig. 73 with Fig. 75, which 

 represents a pigmy poppy with the leaves in 

 whorls of three. Only one of the three buds 

 at each node becomes a branch, and at each 

 node the main stem becomes a peduncle. 

 Imagine all the stems internodes of a Fig. 

 73 to be shortened so much as to bring all 

 the nodes together with their bracts in a 

 whorl with the lower pair; and at the same 

 time, the peduncles lengthened so as to bring 

 all the flowers to a level at the top. Then 

 the cluster would look like an umbel, but the oldest flower 

 gone to seed in the figure would be in the middle, 

 while in an umbel the youngest flower is in the center. 

 When the pedicels are spreading such a cluster of flowers 

 is called an umbellate cyme, but if long and nearly parallel 



Fig. 75. 



poppy or meconel 

 la (Platystigma 

 Caltformcum). 



