CO 
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 Pedi¬ 
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 Umbel , 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, 
° . HO 
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. 
