CHAPTER II. 



THE INFLORESCENCE. 



Branching Monopodial and Sympodial False Dichotomy Simple 

 Monopodial Axis Peduncle and Pedicel Bracts Relations be- 

 tween Acropetal, Monopodial and Indefinite development 

 Raceme and Racemose type Sympodial Axis Definite and 

 Cymose Inflorescences Difficulties of Analysis Mixed In- 

 florescences Uniaxial and Multiaxial types Illustrations. 



WHILE it is true that any generalisations as to branching 

 apply to all parts of the shoot, the subject has acquired a 

 peculiar importance in that region which produces the 

 flowers. This floriferous branch-system is termed the In- 

 florescence, and it is usually conspicuously different from 

 the rest of the shoot in the smallness of its leaves (Bracts 

 and Bracteoles), the slenderness of its internodes if they 

 are elongated, and of course in the presence of the flowers 

 and flower-buds. 



No case of truly dichotomous branching occurs in 

 flowering plants, so that we are only concerned with 

 ordinary branch-systems (monopodial and sympodial) in 

 the Inflorescence ; nevertheless, as will be seen, false 

 dichotomy and other puzzling appearances may be brought 

 about by local peculiarities of growth, and mixtures of 

 both systems may lead to complications of other kinds. 



If we suppose a bud to develope into a shoot by 



