134 MORPHOLOGY. 



1. When pointing in all directions. 



a. Many arising nearly at one point. 



. Repeated at intervals along the axis, whorled (p. verticillatxB) 

 (d). 



/3. On the base of the axis, rosette-shaped parts (p. rosulatce). 



b. Arising at different heights, scattered, spirally arranged parts 

 {p. sparsce, spiraliter posita) (e). 



a. Sessile lateral parts, spiked (p. spicatce) (f). 



/3. Stalked lateral parts, clustered or racemose (p. racemosce) (g). 



2. When lying in one plane. 



a. Only on one side of the axis, unilateral or secund (p. secundd). 



b. On both sides of the axis. 



. All equally long, pinnate (p. pinnatce) (A). 



/3. Alternately long and short, interruptedly pinnate (p. inter- 

 rupte pinnat&) (i). 



B. Where the lateral parts decrease gradually in length from 

 below upward, so that the points lie in one plane, pyramidal parts, 

 corymbs (p. fastigiata, corymbi) (A).* 



Here, as we have already remarked, perfect completeness is not aimed 

 at; nor, indeed, is it attainable. As in every other instance, our termin- 

 ology is here an unscientific chaos. Expressions have been constantly 

 adopted for mere individual cases; and as observation becomes more 

 extended, the expressions admit either but imperfectly or not at all of 

 being further applied to the general characteristics which the individual 

 -cases present, while these, after all, are precisely what we want to name. 

 But we can scarcely expect to attain to a strictly scientific morphological 

 terminology before we have fully succeeded in the mathematical con- 

 struction of forms. In the mean time we may, in some degree, prepare 

 for this by abstaining from using expressions which indicate nothing pe- 

 culiarly relating to plants, but merely conditions of simple combinations 

 of forms, in accidental application to wholly special cases, without, at the 

 same time, explaining their generality. We might, with equal correct- 

 ness, talk of head-shaped, united, pinnate, palmate, &c., crystals. What 

 distinguishes ears and heads in blossoms is precisely similar to that which 

 marks the difference of folia sparsa from foliis rosulatis. We com- 

 prehend under these terms nothing peculiarly characteristic of blossoms, 

 leaves, or, indeed, any part of the plant, but merely a combination of 

 forms, wholly independent of the nature of the forms themselves. 



73. As soon as we meet with more intricate combinations, or 

 less definite forms, nothing remains for us but to combine these 

 expressions, or choose wholly indefinite comparisons ; thus we say 

 palmatifid parts (p. palmatifidce), bipinnate parts (p. bipinnattB), &c. ; 

 or we designate forms as helmets, hoods, spurs, &c., which are 

 almost all expressions which are intelligible merely within a definite 

 sphere of forms, and consequently relate only to special botany. 



Finally, to express small inequalities on the surface, a large 

 number of terms have been made use of, which in like manner are 

 for the most part figurative, and admit of no scientific strictness of 



* Several corymbs combined form a cyme 



