70 MORPHOLOGY 



CHAPTER XI 



INFLORESCENCE 



We have learnt that buds are either terminal or 

 axillary; and buds, we have seen, develop leaves, 

 which may be foliage or floral leaves. In the first 

 case the buds are known as foliage or leaf-buds, and 

 in the second case floral or flower-buds. 



A flower-bud on developing may give rise to a 

 solitary flower or to an axis or a branch-system of 

 axes bearing many flowers. In the latter case the 

 branch-system is known as inflorescence. The 

 solitary flower or inflorescence, as the case may be, 

 is either terminal or axillary according as the bud 

 from which it is developed is terminal or axillary. 

 In a solitary flower the stalk on which the flower is 

 borne is termed the peduncle. In an inflorescence 

 the main axis may remain unbranched and bear 

 flowers, or it may give rise to secondary or tertiary 

 axes, the latter bearing flowers. The portion of the 

 axis which bears flowers or branches is known as the 

 RACHIS, primary, secondary, or tertiary as the case 

 may be; and the portion that does not bear flowers 

 or branches is known as the peduncle, as in solitary 

 flowers. The flowers of an inflorescence may be 

 sessile or borne upon stalks or pedicels. Flowers 

 and inflorescences usually originate from the axils of 

 small green leaves which are known as bracts. If 

 there are other bracts than these, they are known as 

 bracteoles. Bracts are usually diminutive green 

 leaves, but occasionally they are coloured and con- 

 spicuous, as in bagan-bilas, rang-chita, lal-pata 

 {Euphorbia pulcherrima). 



Inflorescences are of various kinds, and may be 



