CHAPTER IV. 



CYMOSE INFLORESCENCES. 



Sympodial branching Analysis Terminal flower Monochasium 

 Dichasium Polychasium Corymboid Cyme Fascicle Glo- 

 merulus Helicoid Cyme Scorpioid Cyme Simple and Com- 

 pound Cymes Homogeneous and Heterogeneous Cymes 

 Mixed Cymes Thyrsus Transitions Reductions Accessory 

 flower- buds Concrescence Displaced bracts Torsions, &c. 

 Formal and morphological aspects of Inflorescences. 



IT has already been shown that the fundamental character 

 of the cymose inflorescence is the sympodial branching. 



This may result in the production of forms so closely 

 imitating all the chief varieties of racemose inflorescence, 

 that the same formal terms raceme, spike, panicle, 

 corymb, umbel, capitulum, &c. are often somewhat loosely 

 applied to them by field botanists when simply referring 

 to their shapes. 



Yet careful analysis of the order of development and 

 opening of the flowers, the positions of the bracts, and so 

 forth, will in most cases determine whether the inflores- 

 cence should be regarded as cymose or not. 



In practice, so far as our trees and shrubs are con- 

 cerned, the numerous cymose inflorescences come under 

 the simpler kinds, and are usually concerned more with 

 the ultimate branches of mixed inflorescences than with 

 the highly complex cymose systems met with in certain 

 groups of plants e.g. the Bostryx (Fig. 12, C) or Helicoid 



