176 



INDEFINITE INFLORESCENCE. 



leaves which are radical proceeds the axis ending in a solitary terminal 

 flower, /'. About the middle of this axis there is a leaf or bract, from 

 which a secondary floral axis, a", is produced, ending in a single 

 flower, /", less advanced than the flower /'. This secondary axis 

 bears a leaf also, from which a tertiary floral axis is produced, a", 

 bearing an unexpanded solitary flower, /'". From this tertiary axis a 

 fourth is in progress of formation. Here /' is the termination of the 

 primary axis, and this flower expands first, while the other flowers are 

 developed centrifugally on separate axes. It is a definite inflo- 

 rescence, with numerous floral axes. 



Fig. 264. 



Fig. 266. 



Indefinite Infloeescence. — The simplest form of this inflores- 

 cence is when single flowers are produced in the axUs of the ordinary 



Fig. 254. Plant of Kanunculus bulbosus, showing determinate inflorescence. a\ Primary 

 floral axis dilated at its base, so as to form a sort of bulb, 6, whence the roots and radical 

 leaves proceed. /', Solitary flower, terminating the primary axis. About the middle of the 

 axis a leaf is developed which gives origin to a secondary axis, a", ending in a solitary flower, 

 /", which is not so advanced as /'. Oh the secondary axis a leaf is formed, from the axil of 

 which a tertiary axis, a'", proceeds, ending in a flower, /'", which is still in bud. On this 

 axis another floral leaf and bud is in the progress of formation. Fig. 255. Branching 

 raceme or so-called panicle of Yucca gloriosa. a', Primary axis or rachis. a", Secondary 

 axes or smaller peduncles, a'". Tertiary axes or pedicels bearing flowers, hbhh, Bracts 

 and bractlets, in the axil of which the axes are produced. The inflorescence is indeterminate 

 and consists of a series of racemes on a common axis, a'. The expansion of the whole in- 

 florescence is centripetal, and such is also the case with each of the racemes forming it, the 

 flowers at the base of the successive axes opening first. 



