318 



HUTCHINSON'S POPULAR BOTANY 



laterally on the axis, which elongates and continues to produce flowers 

 in regular succession from below upwards as is the case, for instance r 

 in the Snapdragon (Antirrhinum} and Wallflower (Gheiranthus cheiri], then 

 the inflorescence is said to be indefinite. Figs. 396 and 401 will illustrate 

 the differences : figs. 385 and 396 represent definite inflorescences, the 

 latter with numerous floral axes ; the inflorescence of Dicentm (fig. 387) is 

 indefinite. 



There is no need to give a detailed account of the various kinds of 

 inflorescence. They are pretty numerous, and have received names which 

 Dominie Sampson would have loved to roll off his tongue. Under the head 



^ of definite inflorescences we have the fascicle, the 



glomerulus, the verticillaster, and five kinds of cyme 

 spiked, panicled, corymbose, dichotomovs, and 

 Jfj^^ scorpioid ; while the nomenclature of the various 



^J^C. '^^j forms of indefinite inflorescence is even more 



extensive. Those with lengthened axes and 

 sessile flowers, which form a sub-group under 

 the common name of spikes, comprise the catkin, 

 spadix, strobile, and cone ; those with lengthened 

 axes and stalked flowers, constituting a second 

 sub-group under the name of racem.es, comprise 

 the corymb, panicle, and thyrsus. Then there are 

 the forms with shortened axes and sessile flowers, 

 the anthodium and hypanthodium, which may be 

 bracketed under capitula to make a third group ; 

 and, lastly, we have the two kinds of umbel, 

 simple and compound, both characterized by 

 shortened axes and stalked flowers. 

 They may be tabulated thus, and the illustrations will help the memory : 



FIG. 385. PINK. 

 An example of definite inflorescence. 



Many useful ends are brought about by the massing together of inflor- 

 escences, and not the least of these is the facilitating of insect visits to the 



