inflorescencj

Inflorescence is the arrangement of flowers on the flowering stem of a plant. It describes the architecture of the flowering part of the shoot, distinct from the morphology of individual flowers. The structure usually includes the main axis (peduncle), any secondary axes or branching (rachises), the individual flower stalks (pedicels), and any subtending bracts.

Inflorescences can be simple or compound and may be indeterminate (the axis keeps growing and flowers open from the base upward) or determinate (flowering is limited, and the terminal bloom ends growth). The pattern of branching and the presence or absence of pedicels help define the major types and are often diagnostic in plant identification.

Common simple inflorescence types include: spike, where flowers are sessile directly on an unbranched axis; raceme, where flowers have short stalks (pedicels) along a single axis; panicle, a branched raceme with multiple pedicels; corymb, a flat-topped or convex inflorescence with outer pedicels longer than inner ones; umbel, where pedicels radiate from a common point; and capitulum (head), a dense cluster of sessile flowers forming a compact head as seen in sunflowers and daisies. Compound inflorescences repeat these patterns on branching axes, as in compound umbels or branched panicles.

Inflorescence architecture influences pollination strategies, fruit set, and seed dispersal. It also has practical implications in horticulture and agriculture, affecting flowering time, yield, and aesthetic traits. In botany, inflorescence patterns are key characters for taxonomy and are used to compare related species and track evolutionary relationships.