FLOWER TYPES 65 



(3) The umbel (Fig. 53) in which the pedicels arise from the 

 same point and are practically the same length. (4) The spike 

 (Figs. 54, 55 and 56) in which flowers are numerous, compact 

 and sessile. (5) The head (Figs. 57 and 58), in which the 

 main stem is shortened, giving rise to a cluster of flowers form- 

 ing a more or, less definite sphere. (6) The spadix (Fig. 49) 

 in which the main stem is fleshy and the cluster of flowers en- 

 veloped in a leaf -like structure called a spathe. (7) The catkin 

 in which the minute flowers are more or less compact, and the 



FIG. 52. Toad flax blossoms, showing the open development of the blossoms, 



entire raceme pendant. (8) The cyme which is similar to the 

 raceme, but which differs from all of the preceding by having the 

 apical flowers bloom before the lateral flowers. Finally, there 

 are many special terms which are used for describing other 

 forms of inflorescence, but which we will omit for the present. 



CLASSIFICATION 



Flower Types When we stop to think about, or try to 

 count and record the many plants with which we are familiar, 

 although we may not know their names, we find that we have 

 a task which is extremely difficult. But when we realize that 

 we know only a few of the many hundreds of thousands of 

 plants of different kinds which are distributed over the face 

 of the earth, we understand that we must have some very 

 definite system of classification or grouping by which we will 



