OF INFLORESCENCE. 21 



Section V. 



Of Anomalous Inflorescences, or those which seem to form 

 an exception to the preceding laivs. 



The general systems of inflorescence which we have 

 examined in the three preceding sections, might appear 

 to include all phanerogamous plants, but there are some 

 which form an exception to the general laws ; such are 

 the inflorescences said to be opposite the leaves, radical, 

 extra-axillary, petiolary, epiphyllous ones, or those 

 which are modified by unions, abortions or degene- 

 rations. 



§ 1. — Inflorescences opposite the Leaves. 



Inflorescences opposite the leaves appear to be always 

 formed by the real top of the stem. One may be con- 

 vinced of this by the following considerations : — 



A leaf provided with its axillary bud may be consi- 

 dered as the point of departure, or origin of two distinct 

 productions: — 1st, a bud, which may be developed into 

 branches with leaves or flowers ; 2d, the branch, which 

 is the prolongation of the same stem which bears the 

 leaf. Two things may happen in the development of 

 these bodies ; the one which is the most simple, is that 

 the continuation of the stem is stronger and more 

 vigorous and forward than the axillary bud, which then 

 developing after the other, and weaker than it, always 

 retains the lateral position, and forms, consequently, an 

 axillary branch if it have only leaves, or an axillary 

 inflorescence if it have flowers ; this latter is most fre- 

 quently the case, and we have examined it in § 2, 3, 



