RACEMOSE TYPE 189 



in the axils of leaves, or of small thin scales called 

 bracts, and these may be regarded as reduced leaves, 

 since we may find every stage between real normal 

 leaves and very small scale-like bracts even on the 

 same plant, for example in GYNANDROPSis and 

 CLEOME (fig. 8, p. 43). 



Just as there are two systems of branching in the 

 vegetative parts, the monopodial and the sympodial 

 systems, so also are there two main systems in the 

 flowering parts, called respectively the racemose and 

 the cymose. 



2. In CLEOME, ERYTHRINA, CLESALPINIA, POIN- 

 CIANA the Gold-mohur, BRASSAIA NIGRA the common 

 Mustard, and many other plants, the flowers are 

 arranged on short pedicels, one after another along a 

 main peduncle, which may continue to elongate in 

 definitely giving off branches (pedicels), as in the mono- 

 podial system of. branching. This kind of inflorescence 

 is termed a raceme, and in it we see that the oldest 

 flowers are at the base, the younger nearer the top. 



Of this racemose arrangement there are several 

 different types, termed respectively : 



(i) The corymb, when the pedicels of the younger 

 flowers are shorter than those of the older, so that 

 the flowers themselves stand at about one level, and 

 the bunch is more or less flat, as occurs in JATROPHA, 

 GYNANDROPSIS (at least in the younger stages), and 

 many other plants. 



(ii) The spike, when there are no pedicels but the 

 flowers are sessile on the main axis (peduncle), as 

 in ACHYRANTHES (fig. 45) CELOSIA (Cock's comb), 

 TRITICUM (Wheat), SORGHUM (Cholam) and others. 



