THE FLOWER. . 129 
In order to study inflorescence generally, let us take some of the 
\ more common plants and examine the arrangement of the flowers 
on each of them. In the Red Currant (Fig. 141), the floral axis 
carries at intervals modified leaves, called bracts; at the axil of 
each of these bracts the peduncle takes its rise, and it is terminated 
by a flower. This is the type of the cluster (or raceme). 
The inflorescence of the Vervain (Verbena officinalis), Fig. 142, 
is only distinguished from the above by the extreme shortness of 
the peduncles; this constitutes a spike. 
The Oat-plant (Fig. 143) furnishes us with an example of the 
modifications which the cluster experiences. Its flower is called 
a branching cluster, or raceme. 
The spike takes the name of catkin or ament, from amentum, a 
strap, when it is formed of unisexual flowers, as represented in the 
male and female catkins of the Willow, Figs. 144 and 145. 
In the Cherry of St. Lucia (Fig. 146), the peduncles originating 
in the principal axis are longer ‘at the lower part of the axis than 
they are towards the summit, so that the whole of the flowers form 
together a sort of umbel with unequal ribs; this cluster is called a 
corymbe. 
In the Astrantia (Fig. 147), so called from its star-like 
flowers, the axis of inflorescence is very short, and bears at the 
extremity, which is enlarged, a certaif number of secondary axils, 
rather elongated, and of equal length, so that the flowers seem to 
spring from the same point in order to attain the same height. 
Here the umbel has equal ribs, and the group of flowers is said to 
be umbelliferous. 
In the Daisy (Figs. 148, 149) the numerous sessile flowers are 
inserted on the surface of an enlarged and flattened axis, and form - 
a capitulum, or head. The capitulum is influenced by the form of 
the receptacle: when the latter is spherical, the capitulum is 
globular; when flat, concave, or convex, the capitulum varies 
nocordlingly. i 
All these modes of inflorescence are only modifications of one of 
them, which may be taken as a type, namely, the cluster. They 
Sometimes seem to attain a certain degree of complication, without 
having the simplicity of their guiding rule thereby diminished. 
Thus, in the Nettle-tree (Fig. 150) the clusters of flowers are 
K 
