TO BOTANY. 103 



the flowers are in some species duplicate-racemose ; 

 in others corymbose ; and in others again umbellate ; 

 wiuiout which characters there would be no certainty 

 of the species. 



The Peduncle or flower-stalk, which is the foun- 

 dation of the characters of Inflorescence, varies as 

 to the manner of its supporting the flowers; and is 

 said to be, 



Flaccid, wanting firmness ; when it is so weak as 

 to be bowed down by the weight of the flow r er itself. 



Cernuus, nodding; when it is incurvate at the 

 apex, so that the flower inclines to one side, or to- 

 wards the ground, and cannot preserve an erect 

 posture, by reason of the strict curvature of the pe- 

 duncle ; as in Carpcsium, Bidens radiata, Carduus 

 nutans, Scabiosa alpina, Hclianthus aimuus, and 

 Cnicus sibiricus. 



Bearing fastigiate flowers; \vhen the pedicelli* 

 or partial foot-stalks elevate the fructification into 

 a fascicle, so that they are of an equal height at the 

 top, as if they had been shorn off horizontally; as 

 in Dianthus and Silene. 



Patulus, spreading; when it is branched out every 

 way, so that the flowers stand remote from each 

 other. This stands opposed to coarctate, close. 



Bearing conglomerate flowers ; when it is branch- 

 ed and bears the flowers in close compact heaps, and 

 is therefore opposed to a diffuse panicle. 



Articulate, jointed ; when it is furnished with a 

 joint; as in Oxalis, Sida, and Hibiscus. 



Coming out in pairs; as in Capraria, and Olderi- 

 landia biflora. 



Tern, or three from the same axilla ; as in Im- 

 patiens triflora. 



* In thfe, and some other places, the Philosophia Botanica 

 has Petiole for Pedicellus ; but the latter is the proper terra 

 for the partial footstalk of a flower. See Chap. 4. 



