A VEETICILLASTER 39 



Corymb, a short, broad cluster, differing from the raceme mainly in 

 its shorter axis and longer lower pedicels, which give the cluster a flat 

 appearance by bringing the individual florets to nearly the same level. 

 Ex.: Cherry. 



Umbel, which resembles the raceme, but has a very short axis and 

 the nearly equal pedicels radiate from it like the rays of an umbrella. 

 Many examples of this mode of inflorescence are seen in the order 

 UmbellifercB, as indicated by the name, including Anise, Fennel and 

 other official plants. 



A Spike is a cluster of flowers, sessile or nearly so, borne on an elon- 

 gated axis. The Mullein and common Plantain afford good illus- 

 trations. 



The Catkin or Ament resembles the Spike, but differs in that it has 

 scaly instead of herbaceous bracts, as the staminate flowers of the Oak, 

 Hazel, Willow, etc. 



The Head or Capitulum is like a spike, except that it has the rachis 

 shortened so as to form a compact cluster of sessile flowers, as in the 

 Dandelion, Marigold, Clover, and Burdock. 



The Strobile is a compact flower cluster with large scales conceal- 

 ing the flowers, as the inflorescence of the Hop. 



The Spadix is a thick, fleshy rachis with flowers closely sessile or 

 embedded on it, usually with a spathe or sheathing bract. Ex. : Calla, 

 Acorus, Calamus, Arum triphyllum. 



The compound raceme particularly if irregularly compounded is 

 called a panicle. 



Determinate Anthotaxy is one in which the first flower that opens 

 is the terminal one on the axis, the others appearing in succession from 

 apex to base or from centre to margin. The principal varieties are: 



The Solitary Determinate, in which there is a single flower borne 

 on the scape, as in the Anemone, or Windflower, and Hydrastis. 



The Cyme, a flower cluster resembling a corymb, except that the 

 buds develop from center to circumference. Ex.: Elder. If the cyme 

 be rounded, as in the Snowball, it is a globose cyme. 



A SCORPOID cyme imitates a raceme, having the flowers pedicelled 

 and arranged along a lengthened axis. 



A Glomerule is a cymose inflorescence of any sort which is con- 

 densed into a head, as the so-called head of Cornus florida. 



A Verticillaster is a compact, cymose flower cluster which re- 

 sembles a whorl, but really consists of two glomerules situated in the 



