344 THE CROWFOOT FAMILY 



cyme.^ The inflorescence of the marsh-marigold is a simple 

 cyme. A well-developed cyme is found in certain species of 

 clematis. Here, as shown in Fig. 290, the axes repeatedly 

 branch, making the cyme compound. In compound inflores- 

 cences the ultimate flower-stalks are called pedicels.- A whorl 

 or cluster of bracts is an involucre;^ while the term involucel * 

 is applied to a whorl of bractlets. Thus the wood-anemony 

 has an involucre of three leaf -like bracts situated far below the 

 solitary flower. These are called bracts because in related 

 species bracts similarly placed subtend peduncles, although 

 as must be obvious the distinction between bracts and bract- 

 lets in such cases is rather arbitrary. Fennel-flower has an 

 involucel of a few large bractlets very near the blossom. 

 Most of the croAvfoot family have simple, cymose inflores- 

 cences, usually of only a few flowers as in crowfoots, colum- 

 bines, and the Christmas rose. Often, even in the genera 

 mentioned, the flowers may be solitary, and this is usually if 

 not alwaj's the case in mouse-tails, anemonies, fennel-flowers, 

 and peonies. 



In contrast with these determinate inflorescences in which 

 the terminal, upper, or inner flowers are the older, are in- 

 florescences of the indeterminate type shown in baneberries 

 and monkshoods. Here the upper flowers are the younger, 

 and the main axis or rachis '= may elongate indefinitelj^, 

 developing new flowers as it grows. When, as in the ex- 

 amples given, the main axis is longer than the peduncles, 

 the cluster is termed a raceme.^ So typical is this of the 

 indeterminate form of inflorescence that the term botryose ' 

 of similar implication is given to it as being in significant 

 contrast with cymose. 



From the above it appears that in describing and naming 

 inflorescences botanists have regard either to the manner in 



^ Cyme < Gr. kyma, a young sprout, because the younger flowers 

 arise like sprouts from below. (Pronounced stem.) 



2 Ped'-i-cel < L. pedicelliis, diminutive of pediculus, dim. of pes, 

 pedis, foot. 



^ In'-vo-lu-cre < L. involucrum, < involvere, enwrap. 



■• In-vol'-u-cel < L. iitvolucellum, a little wrapper. 



^ Ra'-chis < Gr. rhachis, backbone. 



* Ra-ceme' < L. racemns, a bunch of grapes. 



' Bot'-ry-ose < Gr. hotryn, a bunch of grapes. 



