176 BOTANY 
1. The raceme is the commonest indefinite inflor- 
escence. The flowers, as in the foxglove and towai 
(Weinmannia racemosa), are arranged singly on 
pedicels along a central peduncle. 
2. Panicle. Where the flowering axis is branched, 
as in the cabbage tree (Cordyline) and the oat, the 
inflorescence is a panicle. 
3. A corymb differs from a raceme in the fact that 
the pedicels of the lower flowers are lengthened to 
bring all the flowers to the same level, and so form a 
flat surface suitable for an insect to walk upon. This 
form of inflorescence is well seen in the candytuft, and 
appears in some of the native species of cardamine. 
4. The spike is like a raceme in which the pedicels 
have disappeared, the flowers all being sessile on the 
peduncle. This is well seen in the plantains both native 
and introduced. 
). A catkin differs from a spike in being unisexual. 
Male flowers are sessile on one flowering axis and 
female on another, which may be on the same plant, 
as in the hazel, or on another plant as in the willow 
and kawakawa (Piper excelsum). . 
6. The spadix is seen in the arum. Small male 
flowers are situated on the upper, and female flowers 
on the lower part of the fleshy axis. It is like the body 
that would be formed by the union of two eatkins with 
the male above. 
7. Umbel. In an umbel, the flowers all spring from 
the apex of the peduncle, the pedicels meeting at that 
point. This is well seen in the cowslip. The eompound 
umbel appears in the panax as well as the parsnip, 
carrot and most members of that family. 
8. Head. In the head or eapitulum the end of the 
pedunele carries a broad flattened receptacle on which 
are situated numerous sessile flowers. This is seen in 
the daisy, clover and piri-piri (bidi-bidi). What is 
popularly regarded as the flower is really an inflor- 
