SECT. IV. THE INFLORESCENCE. 130 



and descends in a reversed order gradually to the 

 base. 



The spike is terminal, as in Agrimonia; or axil- Terminal 

 lary and lateral, as in Veronica officinalis. It is said 

 to be crowded if the flowers are set close together, as 

 in Orchis maculata ; and interrupted if the inter- 

 vals between them are considerable, as in the whirls 

 of Mentha rotundifolia. In its figure it is either 

 linear, as in Rotbollia ; or cylindrical, as inPhleum 

 pratense ; or elliptical, as in Phalaris canariensis ; 

 or jointed, as in Salicornia herbacea ; or distichous, 

 that is having the flowers arranged in two opposite 

 rows, as in Lollum pratense. But sometimes the 

 two rows are turned about to one side, as in Dacty- 

 lis stricta and Ladies' Traces, and then the spike is 

 said to be unilateral. 



The spike is simple and without divisions, as in Simple or 

 Verbena officinalis ; or compound and subdivided, pound. 

 as in Lavendula pinnata. In the Grasses the di- 

 visions of the spike are denominated spikelets, 

 which consist of one, two, three, or many flowers, 

 as in Poa Jluitans. The spike is also often leafy, as 

 in Ajuga rep fans and the Mints ; but it is more 

 frequently naked or without leaves, as in the 

 Grasses. If two spikes, issue from the same stalk 

 and in the same horizontal plane, they are said to 

 be conjugate, as in Verbena officinalis; and if 

 several issue from the same stalk and in the same 

 horizontal plane, they are said to be bundled. 



