BRANCH SYSTEM 55 



example of false trichotomy. False dichotomy or tri- 

 chotomy is very rare in the stems, roots, or leaves of 

 plants, but very common in inflorescence or branch- 

 system bearing flowers, which will be described later 

 on. 



In cymose branching, if one only of the successive 

 lateral buds develops into a branch, and these de- 

 veloping buds are all on the same side (right or left) 

 of the terminal buds, the branching is said to be a 



^ 



]/^ 



B 



Figr- SS- — Cymose Branchings 

 A, False dichotomy or dichasium. B, Helicoid cyme, c, Scorpioid cyme.. 



HELicoiD cyme (fig. 56, B). If, on the other hand, 

 the developing lateral buds lie alternately right and 

 left of the terminal buds, the branching is said to be 

 a SCORPIOID cyme (fig. 55, c). In both the kinds of 

 cymose branching described above the apparent axis 

 is not a monopodium, as in racemose branching, but 

 a SYMPODiuM (joint-axes), formed by the successive 

 portions of the primary, secondary, tertiary, &c., 

 axes. Harhjorha (Vitis quadrangularis) and the 

 Vines generally are good examples of plants having 

 a sympodial axis or shoot. In dichotomous branching 

 also, for similar reasons, the pseudo-axis or sym- 

 podium may be helicoid or scorpioid. 



