88 VEGETABLE ORGANOGRAPHY. 



from ordinary brandies in their never bearing true 

 leaves, but only bracts or floral ones; thus the scape 

 which supports the head of flowers of the Daisy, or the 

 solitary one of the Cyclamen, or the spike of the Plan- 

 tain, is entirely devoid of true leaves. 



Pedicels and pedicules are often furnished with arti- 

 culations, the study of which presents some interest, 

 both on account of their causing the fall of fruits, and 

 because they elucidate the true structure of the organs 

 of inflorescence. 



Pedicels often appear articulated in the middle of 

 their length ; but it must be remarked that when this 

 phenomenon takes place, either near the base or apex, 

 or really at the middle, we observe below the articu- 

 lation two small bracts; which indicates that we ought to 

 consider as terminal or compound inflorescences, the 

 cases where such articulations are found, and to reserve 

 the name of pedicel for the part above it, and which 

 bears the flower. What tends to confirm this opinion is, 

 that it happens in a great number of plants — several 

 Myrtaceae, Leguminosae, &c. for example — that where 

 such an articulation is found, a second or third pedicel 

 is seen to spring from it, proving that the lower portion 

 is a true pedicule, and not a part of the pedicel. In 

 the same manner we here and there meet with articu- 

 lations in different parts of the system in compound 

 inflorescences ; but what is more remarkable is, that 

 sometimes the floral branch itself is articulated at its 

 base : this is what is observed in the spikes or racemes 

 of several Amentacees, to which the particular name of 

 Catkin (amentum) has been given — a name which, 

 from analogy in form, has been sometimes extended to 

 the spikes or racemes of some species of these families 

 where the articulation does not exist. We meet with 

 this articulation, and consequently the fall of the 



