34 



DOMESTIC BOTANY. 



formed buds in many different ways. In herbs they are 

 produced on stems that rise from the root-stock, and in 

 trees and shrubs from buds on the apex, or sides of the 

 stem and branches, often in the axis of the leaves, and 

 even on the leaves, as in butcher's broom.* In deciduous 

 trees and shrubs they usually expand before the leaf- 

 buds, and by their profusion and bright colours form for 

 a brief period the brilliant aspect of nature as presented 

 by our fruit orchards and early-flowering ornamental 

 trees ; also by the purple heath and golden flowers of the 

 furze and broom on our commons and hills. 



The manner in which flowers are produced is termed 

 the inflorescence, and its position and mode of arrange- 

 ment forms an important feature in the character of 

 plants. Flowers are either produced singly, or two or 

 more together, on a comm.on axis ; they are either ses- 

 sile (stalkless) or furnished with a footstalk called the 

 peduncle, which bears from one to many flowers ; when 

 more than one, the secondary footstalk of each is called 

 the pedicel (a little footstalk). 



Many terms are employed to designate the various 

 forms of inflorescence, but for the purpose of this work it 

 will be sufficient to notice the most important, as follows : 



Fascicle. — When two or more peduncles, each bearing 

 a single flower, rise from a common centre, as in cherry, 

 apple, pear, and hawthorn. 



Capitula. — When a number of flowers, often sessile, 

 are produced on the apex of a peduncle in the form of a 

 compact globose or oblong head, as in onion, clover, 

 teazle, thistle, and sea-thrift. 



Umbel. — When the peduncles radiate from a terminal 

 centre and bear on their apex several pedicellate flowers, 



* See Lily family. 



