Inflorescence

Inflorescence

An inflorescence is a group of flowers on a branch that has no regular leaves on it past a certain point. There are several kinds of inflorescences, some characteristic of families or orders of plants:

An umbel[?] has several flower stalks branching from the same point. It is characteristic of the Umbelliferae.
A spadix[?] is a sword-shaped stalk with flowers on its side, enclosed in a spathe[?]. It is characteristic of the Araceae.
The Asteraceae also have a characteristic inflorescence.

An inflorescence is said to be determinate if the number of flowers cannot increase after the first flower opens; if the number can, it is indeterminate. In indeterminate inflorescences, the most proximal flower opens first; in determinate ones, the most distal opens first or they open at the same time.