panicules

Panicule (plural panicules) is a term in botany describing a small, branched inflorescence resembling a panicle but typically more compact. In a panicule, a main axis bears short pedicels that branch into further orders, bearing flowers or spikelets. The overall impression is a cluster of many small units.

Panicules are found in various flowering plants and grasses; their precise arrangement can vary among species, but they generally represent a diminutive form of a panicle rather than a simple raceme or spike.

In comparison to a raceme, which has a single unbranched axis with pedicels to each flower, a panicule shows branching with two or more orders of pedicels. Compared with a panicle, a panicule is typically smaller and more compact; some authors treat panicule as a specific kind of panicle rather than a separate category.

The term is used in botanical descriptions and floras to convey the feel of inflorescences that are paniculate in nature but limited in size, often in grasses (Poaceae) and other monocots, as well as some dicotyledonous families. Its exact definition can vary by author or plant group, and some sources may use paniculine or paniculate synonymy. See also inflorescence, panicle, raceme, spike.