60 
HOW PLANTS ARE PROPAGATED. 
173. The flower-stalk or footstalk of a blossom is called a Peduncle (96). So 
the flowers in Fig. 138, 139, &c. are peduncled or stalked. But in 
Fig. 141 they are sitting on the stem, or sessile. 
174. In clusters we need to distinguish two kinds of flower-stalks; 
namely, the stalk of the whole cluster, if there be any, and the stalk 
of each blossom. In such cases we call the stalk of the cluster the 
Peduncle , and the stalk of the individual flowers we name the PedU 
cel. In the Lily of the Valley (Fig. 3, as in Fig. 140), there is the 
•peduncle or general flower-stalk (which is here a continuation of 
the main stem), and then the flowers all have pedicels of their own. 
175. Kinds of Flower-Clusters. Of those which bear their flowers on 
the sides of a main stalk, in the axils of leaves or bracts, the prin- 
cipal kinds are the Raceme , the Corymb , the TJmbel , the Head , and 
the Spike with its varieties ; also the Panicle. In the head and 
the spike the flowers are sessile. In the others they have pedicels 
or footstalks of their own. 
176. A Raceme is a cluster with the blossoms arranged along the 
sides of a main flower-stalk, or its continuation, and all on pedicels 
of about the same length. A bunch of Currant-blossoms or berries, 
or the graceful cluster of the Lily of the Valley (Fig. 3, 140) are 
good illustrations. Fig. 142 shows the plan of the raceme. Notice that a raceme 
always blossoms from the bottom to the top, in regular order ; because the lower 
buds are of course the oldest. 
177. A Corymb is a flat-topped or convex cluster, like that of Hawthorn. Fig, 
