FLOWERS. 33 



LESSON VI. 

 FLOWERS. 



Having examined the general characteristics of Seeds, 

 Roots, Stems, and Leaves, we come to the Flowers. In- 

 florescence, or the manner in which flowers are arranged 

 on their stalks, is the first matter requiring explana- 

 tion. 



The regular kinds of inflorescence may be divided into 

 two classes — defi?iite and indefinite. Definite inflorescence is 

 when the primary or central axis terminates at an early 

 period in a flower, and is thus limited in its upward growth ; 

 it is also called centrifugal, because the central flower 

 expands first, and those on the branches afterwards. 

 Examples : — Lily, carnation, laurustinus, hawthorn, Heli- 

 chrysum, Ranunculus, Pimelia. Indefinite inflorescence is 

 when the central axis gives off flowers and continues to 

 grow in an upward direction or spreading horizontally ; and 

 as the flowers farthest from the centre — that is, from the 

 base of the axis — open earliest, it is called centripetal. All 

 the flowers of such inflorescence are axillary. Examples : 

 — Foxglove, wallflower, mignonette, Gladiolus, Dianella, 

 Comesperma, Lythrum salicarium, etc. 



Examine a stalk bearing a bunch of flowers, as the 



Verbena. It will be seen that each of the florets or little 



flowers which make up the bunch has a small stalk, by 



which it is joined to the main stalk. This small stalk is 



a pedicel {supporting a single flozver). Sometimes the 



c 



