ORGANIZATION: PLANT MEMBERS. 355 



the stem has assumed the leaf function and the leaves have 

 become reduced to mere spines. The various modifications 

 which shoots have undergone accompanying a change in their 

 leaf relation will be discussed under stems in Chapter XXXIX. 



694. (3d) Floral shoots. The floral shoot is the part of the 

 plant bearing the flower. As interpreted here it may consist of 

 but a single flower with its stalk, as in Trillium, mandrake, etc., 

 or of the clusters of flowers on special parts of the stem, termed 

 flower clusters, as the catkin, raceme, spike, umbel, head, etc. In 

 the floral shoot as thus interpreted there are several peculiarities 

 to observe which distinguish it from the foliage shoot and adapt 

 it to its life relations. 



The floral shoot in many respects is comparable to the foliage 

 shoot, as seen from the following peculiarities: 



(1) It usually possesses, beside the flowers, small green leaves 

 which are in fact foliage though they are very much reduced in 

 size, because the function of the shoot as a foliage shoot is sub- 

 ordinated to the function of the floral shoot. These small leaves 

 on the floral shoot are termed bracts. 



(2) It may be (a) unbranched, when it would consist of a 

 single flower, or (b) branched, when there would be several to 

 many flowers in the flower cluster. 



(3) The flower bud has the same origin on the shoot as the 

 leaf bud; it is either terminal or axillary, or both. 



(4) The members of the flower belong to the leaf series, i.e., 

 they are leaves, but usually different in color from foliage leaves, 

 because of the different life relation which they have to perform. 

 Evidence of this is seen in the transition of sepals, petals, sta- 

 mens, or pistils, to foliage leaves in many flowers, as in the pond 

 lily, the abnormal forms of trillium, and many monstrosities in 

 other flowers (see Chapter XXXIV). 



(5) The position of the members of the flower on its axis, 

 though usually more crowded, in many cases follows the same 

 plan as the leaves on the stem. 



The various kinds of floral shoots or flower clusters will be 

 discussed in Chapter XLII, on the Floral Shoot. 



