76 OBJECT LESSONS IN BOTANY. 



times sessile (or without stalks) ; and that they may arise 

 from terminal buds, or from axillary. With the meaning of 

 the words terminal and axillary you were made acquainted 

 in Lesson IX. 



143. The stalk which supports the flower, or the cluster of 

 flowers, w^e cslU peduncle. Now the peduncle may be either 

 simple, bearing a single flower, or divided into branches and 

 bearing a cluster of flowers. In the latter case, the branches 

 or branchlets are called pedicels. 



144. When the peduncle arises from terminal buds it 

 seems like a continuation of the main stem, as in Foxglove, 

 Horse-chestnut ; and when from axillary buds, it comes out 

 from the side of the stem just above a leaf, as in the Cur- 

 rant. Sometimes it arises from the root or some under- 

 ground part of the stem, and then we generally call it a 

 scape. Thus the flower-stalk of Tulip is a scape ; also of the 

 Dodecatheon. 



145. The flower is said to be solitary, not only when alone 

 on the plant, but also when alone in the axil of a leaf, as in 

 Fuchsia, Morning-glory, Petunia. 



146. Among clustered flowers, you w^ill often meet with 

 the following twelve varieties of inflorescence, which we 

 must now try to represent and describe. We begin with the 

 spike, such a cluster as we see in the Plantain, Mullen, &c. 

 We may define it thus: A long peduncle (called rachis), 

 ha vino; sessile flowers arrano^ed alons^ its sides. But before 

 we go further with inflorescence, w^e must examine the bracts 

 which accompany it. 



143. Flesise deRne peduncle ; tdso pedicel. 



144. When are the flowers terminal ? axillary ? Define scape. 



145. Why is the flower called solitary in Fuchsia, Petunia, &c. ? 



146. Define a spike. Explain to us the rachis. 



