scorpioid

Scorpioid is a botanical term used to describe a type of inflorescence, most commonly referred to as a scorpioid cyme. This pattern is characteristic of many species in the Boraginaceae and is notable for its coiled, tail-like appearance that resembles a scorpion’s tail.

In a scorpioid cyme, the arrangement of flowers develops on one side of a central axis, producing a unilateral, curved structure. As each new flower forms and opens, the inflorescence gradually coiles or uncoils, giving a serpentine or helical shape. The flowers tend to bloom sequentially, with the oldest flowers opening first and successive blooms appearing toward the tip of the coil. The resulting display is distinct from more open, branched inflorescences.

This growth form is widely observed in many familiar garden plants, especially forget-me-nots (Myosotis), Borage (Borago officinalis), and related genera, though it occurs in other plant groups as well. The scorpioid habit is thought to influence pollination dynamics by presenting blossoms in a moving sequence as the inflorescence unfurls.

Etymology derives from Latin scorpio, meaning scorpion, referencing the tail-like shape of the coiled inflorescence. In botany, the term is frequently used interchangeably with scorpioid cyme or cincinnus, and it is a key diagnostic feature when identifying certain plant families.