Verticillaster: Florets occurring in false whorls at nodes on a elongate stalk usually with pedicels and leaf-like bracts. Members of the Lamiaceae only and may appear spike-like. Inflorescence Types © Kwantlen.ca/Horticulture

Cyme: the growing tip becomes a floret before more arise from axillary buds. May appreacorymb-like and sometimes head inflorescences are arranged in cymes. Inflorescence Types © Kwantlen.ca/Horticulture

Raceme: elongated inflorescence with floret pedicels of about equal length that develop along a rachis.Inflorescence Types © Kwantlen.ca/Horticulture

Panicle: a main axis supports several racemes so that the inflorescence appears branched. Term often applied to any highly branched, elongate, inflorescence whose flowering sequence is s unclear, even if cymose.Inflorescence Types © Kwantlen.ca/Horticulture

Catkin: florets unisexual, apetalous, and tightly packed together on a rachis that usually droops downward (found only in some woody dicots, e.g. willow, birch, alder, oak).

Inflorescence Types © Kwantlen.ca/Horticulture

Spikelet: inflorescence consisting of an axis (rachilla), above two bracts (glumes) and one or more very small florets with perianths reduced paired bracts (the palea and lemma). Spikelets may be arranged in spikes, racemes, or panicles. Found in grasses and sedges. Inflorescence Types © Kwantlen.ca/Horticulture

Spadix: racemose inflorescence consisting of many tiny florets on an enlarged fleshy axis which is usually partially enclosed by a large bract (the spathe). In the Araceae only.Inflorescence Types © Kwantlen.ca/Horticulture

Spike: inflorescence elongate and raceme-like but with very short or no pedicels.Inflorescence Types © Kwantlen.ca/Horticulture

Head (Asteraceae): florets small, closely packed, lack pedicels, and arise from a flattened axis that is surrounded or subtended by bracts to appear as a large flower. Head inflorescences are commonly arranged in cymes and may be small.Inflorescence Types © Kwantlen.ca/Horticulture

Head: florets small, closely packed, lack pedicels, and arise from a flattened axis that is surrounded or subtended by bracts to appear as a large flower. Mainly in Asteraceae.

Inflorescence Types © Kwantlen.ca/Horticulture

Umbel: pedicels (and rays if a compound umbel) of about equal length all arising from the apex of the peduncle. Mainly occur in the Apiaceae.Inflorescence Types © Kwantlen.ca/Horticulture

Corymb: florets are formed on lateral stalks of different length, the longest being at the base creating a flat-topped inflorescence.Inflorescence Types © Kwantlen.ca/Horticulture

Cyathium: consists of a simple female floret (one pistil) in the center surrounded by many simple male florets (one stamen each) on bracts. F.Y.I. - Found only in the Euphorbiaceae.Inflorescence Types © Kwantlen.ca/Horticulture

Practice identifying inflorescence unknownsInflorescence Types © Kwantlen.ca/Horticulture

Use the

Key to the Basic Inflorescence Types

in your lab manual or lecture handouts

to identify the following unknowns .

Unknown #1Inflorescence Types © Kwantlen.ca/Horticulture

Unknown #2Inflorescence Types © Kwantlen.ca/Horticulture

Unknown #3Inflorescence Types © Kwantlen.ca/Horticulture

Unknown #4Inflorescence Types © Kwantlen.ca/Horticulture

Unknown #5Inflorescence Types © Kwantlen.ca/Horticulture

Unknown #6Inflorescence Types © Kwantlen.ca/Horticulture

Unknown #7Inflorescence Types © Kwantlen.ca/Horticulture

Unknown #8Inflorescence Types © Kwantlen.ca/Horticulture

Unknown #9Inflorescence Types © Kwantlen.ca/Horticulture

Unknown #10Inflorescence Types © Kwantlen.ca/Horticulture

Unknown #11Inflorescence Types © Kwantlen.ca/Horticulture

Answer KeyInflorescence Types © Kwantlen.ca/Horticulture

1) Catkin

2) Verticillaster

3) Head

4) Corymb

5) Raceme

6) Panicle

7) Spikelet (arranged in a panicle)

8) Cyme

9) Spadix

10) Spike

11) Umbel