190 



LSSSONS WITS PLANTS 



in the plantain, while the middle flowers are still in bloom. Special 

 kinds of spikes, as we have found, are the spadix and the catkin. 

 A much -condensed — much -shortened — spike is called a head. 



218. If the lowest pedicels of the raceme were 

 elongated (or the upper ones remained shortened) 



Fig. 187. 

 Remains of a last year's umbel of wild carrot. 



SO that the cluster were convex or nearly flat 

 on top, we should have a corymb. That is, a 

 corymb is an expanded cluster, in which the 

 outermost flowers open first. 



219. If the axis of the corymb were so very 

 much shortened that all the pedicels seem to start 

 from the same point, like the rays of an inverted 

 umbrella, we should have an umbel. 



219a. Umbels are characteristic of the plants of the parsley 

 tribe, as parsnip, caraway, dill, celery, carrot and coriander. Often 



