Inflorescence

An inflorescence is a group or cluster of flowers arranged on a stem that is composed of a main branch or a complicated arrangement of branches. Morphologically, it is the modified part of the shoot of seed plants where flowers are formed. The modifications can involve the length and the nature of the internodes and the phyllotaxis, as well as variations in the proportions, compressions, swellings, adnations, connations and reduction of main and secondary axes.Inflorescence can also be defined as the reproductive portion of a plant that bears a cluster of flowers in a specific pattern.Ebracteate inflorescence.Ebracteate of Wisteria sinensisBracteate inflorescence.Bracteate inflorescence of Pedicularis verticillata.Leafy-bracted inflorescence.Leafy-bracted inflorescence of Rhinanthus angustifolius.Leafy inflorescence.Leafy inflorescence of Aristolochia clematitis.Indeterminate inflorescence with a perfect acropetal maturation.Indeterminate inflorescence with an acropetal maturation and lateral flower buds.Indeterminate inflorescence with the subterminal flower to simulate the terminal one (vestige present)Determinate inflorescence with acropetal maturationDeterminate inflorescence with basipetal maturationDeterminate inflorescence with divergent maturationAlternate flowersOpposite flowersFlower and subtending bractLilium martagon (flower and subtending bract)ConcaulescenceSolanum lycopersicum (concaulescence)RecaulescenceTilia cordata (recaulescence)RacemeEpilobium angustifoliumSpikePlantago media (spike)Racemose corymbIberis umbellata (racemose corymb)UmbelAstrantia minor (umbel)SpadixArum maculatum (spadix)Head (round)Dipsacus fullonum (head)Catkin (racemose or spicate)Alnus incana (ament)Double cymeDouble cymeBostryx (lateral and top view)Hypericum perforatum (bostryx)Drepanium (lateral and top view)Gladiolus imbricatus (drepanium)Cincinnus (lateral and top view)Symphytum officinale (cincinnus)Rhipidium (lateral and top view)Canna sp. (rhipidium)DichasiumDichasium, top viewSilene dioica (dichasium)Umbelliform cymePelargonium zonale (umbelliform cyme)BotryoidBerberis vernae (botryoid)Gentiana lutea (fascicles)Lamium orvala (verticillaster)Mentha longifolia ('spike')Homeothetic compound racemeMelilotus officinalis (homoeothetic compound raceme)Heterothetic compound racemeHebe albicans (heterothetic compound raceme)Compound spikeLolium temulentum (compound spike)Compound capitulumEchinops ritro (compound capitulum)Compound (double) umbelLaserpicium latifolium (double umbel)Compound (triple) umbelPanicleVitis vinifera (panicle)Cymose corymbSambucus nigra (cymose corymb)AnthelaJuncus inflexus (anthela)ThyrseAesculus hippocastanumThyrsoidSyringa vulgarisAchillea sp. (heads in a corymb)Hedera helix (umbels in a panicle)Matricaria chamomilla (calathid)Triticum aestivum (compound spikes, 'spikes')Oryza sativa (spikes in a panicle, 'panicle')Ficus carica (syconium)Euphorbia tridentata (cyathium)Euphorbia cyparissias (cyathia in an umbel)(Coleus-false spike) An inflorescence is a group or cluster of flowers arranged on a stem that is composed of a main branch or a complicated arrangement of branches. Morphologically, it is the modified part of the shoot of seed plants where flowers are formed. The modifications can involve the length and the nature of the internodes and the phyllotaxis, as well as variations in the proportions, compressions, swellings, adnations, connations and reduction of main and secondary axes.Inflorescence can also be defined as the reproductive portion of a plant that bears a cluster of flowers in a specific pattern. The stem holding the whole inflorescence is called a peduncle and the major axis (incorrectly referred to as the main stem) holding the flowers or more branches within the inflorescence is called the rachis. The stalk of each single flower is called a pedicel. A flower that is not part of an inflorescence is called a solitary flower and its stalk is also referred to as a peduncle. Any flower in an inflorescence may be referred to as a floret, especially when the individual flowers are particularly small and borne in a tight cluster, such as in a pseudanthium.The fruiting stage of an inflorescence is known as an infructescence. Inflorescences may be simple (single) or complex (panicle). The rachis may be one of several types, including single, composite, umbel, spike or raceme.