148 ANTHOTAXY, OR INFLORESCENCE. 



The name means "resembling a flower." Although it has all 

 the characters of a true head, the resemblance to a flower is 



remarkably striking, the involucre imitating a calyx, and the 

 strap-shaped (ligulate) corollas of the several flowers imitating 

 the petals of a single blossom. In some (such as Dandelion 



and the Cichory, Fig. 286) , all 

 the flowers of the head bear 

 these petal-like corollas; in 

 more (such as Aster, Sun- 

 flower, and Coreopsis, Fig. 

 287), only an outer circle of 

 flowers does so ; the remain- 

 der, smaller and filling the 

 centre (or disk), may by the 

 casual observer be taken for 

 stamens and pistils, and further the deception. The rhachis 

 or receptacle of a head of this kind is commonly depressed, 

 bearing the flowers on what then becomes the upper surface, 

 which adds to the imitation. 1 



SYCONIUM. This name, given to the Fig-fruit, should be here 

 referred to, as it is a sort of inflorescence, of the general nature 

 of a head, but with receptacle external and flowers enclosed 



1 The receptacle of an Anthodium has been termed Clinanthium or Phor- 

 anthium ; and its involucre, a Periphoranthium or Periclinium. The head has 

 likewise been named a Cephalanthium. 



FIG. 286. Flowering branch of Cichory, with two heads of ligulate flowers, of 

 natural size. 



FIG. 287. Vertical section of a head of flowers of a Coreopsis. 



