COKYMBOSE CLUSTERS 



117 



75. Loose spikes of fal«e 

 dragon's heart or pliyso- 

 stegia. 



ing, and the flowers (in 

 typical cases) have only 

 one sex. Examples are 

 the " pussies" of willows 

 (Fig. 213) and flower- 

 clusters of oaks (Fig. 

 212), hickories, poplars. 



240. When a loose, 

 elongated corymbose 

 flower-cluster branches, 

 or is compound, it is 

 called a panicle. Be- 

 cause of the earlier 

 growth of the lower 

 branches, the panicle is 



usually broadest at the base or conical in out- 

 line. True panicles are not common. 



241. When an indeterminate flower- cluster 

 is short, so that the top is convex or flat, it is 

 a corymb (Fig. 178). The outermost flowers 

 open first. Fig. 179 shows many corymbs of 



the bridal wreath, one of the spireas. 



242. When the branches of an indeterminate 



cluster arise from a common point, like the 



frame of an um- 

 brella, the clus- 

 ter is an umbel 

 (Fig. 180). Typi- 

 cal umbels occur 

 in carrot, par- 

 snip, parsley and 

 other plants of 

 the parsley fam- 

 ily: the family 



Head of crimson "- r' -^ _ 



clover. 177. Head of •unflower. IS knOWn AS tne 



174. Spike of 

 h y acintb. 

 Note, also, 

 that the 

 flowers and 

 foliage are 

 pro d uced 

 from the 

 stored food 

 in the bulb, 

 only water 

 being given. 



