197. Flower-buds appear just where leaf-buds appear; that is, they are either terminal or axillary ([47-49]). Morphologically, flowers answer to shoots or branches, and their parts to leaves.
198. In the same species the flowers are usually from axillary buds only, or from terminal buds only; but in some they are both axillary and terminal.
[199.] Inflorescence, which is the name used by Linnæus to signify mode of flower-arrangement, is accordingly of three classes: namely, Indeterminate, when the flowers are in the axils of leaves, that is, are from axillary buds; Determinate, when they are from terminal buds, and so terminate a stem or branch; and Mixed, when these two are combined.
[200.] Indeterminate Inflorescence (likewise, and for the same reason, called indefinite inflorescence) is so named because, as the flowers all come from axillary buds, the terminal bud may keep on growing and prolong the stem indefinitely. This is so in Moneywort (Fig. [199]).
Fig. 199. Piece of a flowering-stem of Moneywort (Lysimachia nummularia,) with single flowers successively produced in the axils of the leaves, from below upwards, as the stem grows on.
201. When flowers thus arise singly from the axils of ordinary leaves, they are axillary and solitary, not collected into flower-clusters.
202. But when several or many flowers are produced near each other, the accompanying leaves are apt to be of smaller size, or of different shape or character: then they are called Bracts, and the flowers thus brought together form a cluster. The kinds of flower-clusters of the indeterminate class have received distinct names, according to their form and disposition. They are principally Raceme, Corymb, Umbel, Spike, Head, Spadix, Catkin, and Panicle.