SOME LESSONS IN BOTANY 67 
As all seeds and fruits come from the pistil, and its de- 
velopment is dependent upon the stamen, we see that a 
knowledge of the structure 
of flowers and their essen- 
tial organs is of the highest 
practical value to intelli- 
gent farmers, gardeners, 
and other persons engaged RACEME OF THE CURRANT 
in growing plants. 
Flower Clusters. — Some flowers always grow in solitary 
fashion on the plant, but more commonly a number are pro- 
duced close together and form some 
kind of cluster. With the principal 
types of these clusters the student 
should be familiar. One of the com- 
monest is 
The Raceme.— Here the flowers grow 
singly from a common stalk, each flower 
having its own 
little stem and 
the lowest blos- 
soms opening 
first. The cur- 
rant, choke 
cherry, and lily 
of the valley furnish good examples. 
The Panicle.—If we modify the raceme by lengthening 
the little flower stems and putting several flowers on each 
instead of only one, we get a sort of compound raceme called 
a panicle. This is the kind of cluster we see in the oat and 
in most of the grasses. 
The Umbel. — Here the little flower stems all spring from 
PANICLE OF OaTS 
MILKWEED UMBEL 
