Flower branch

Buds were noted on 4 Apr 1980 flowering branches were collected on 20 Apr 1980 (Valdes s.n.. 22 Oct 1980, MICH). 

Another flowering population Reisfield Solheim 1109 was found on a steep face of Cerro Alto, the mountain adjacent to the village of Ayautla. This trailside population formed a thick, shaded stand, with crowded stems over 2 m tall. Flowering branches, up to 3 m tall, rose above the rest and received filtered or direct sunlight. Valdes (1983) reported he collected plants from Cerro Rabon, a somewhat more distant mountain, but our local guide, Pedro Diaz, insisted that he... 

The number of branches varies with plant density, and multiple stems alter the number of branches per stem (Tsvetoukhine, 1960). Most branches are found on the bottom third of the plant, though axillary flowering branches are formed toward the top of the plant before the onset of... 

The leaves are lanceolate to lance-ovate and vary among clones and with position on the plant (Figure 4.1A). Primary leaves vary in length from 10 to 20 cm and width from 5 to 10 cm. The opposite side of a leaf blade (left vs. right) is not always a mirror image of the other. Considerable variation can occur. Leaves on flowering branches tend to be smaller and narrower than those on regular branches and the main stem. 

Leaf size varies with position on the plant (Figure 4.1B), clone, and agronomic practices (Pas ko, 1973). Leaves are smaller at the base of the plant, largest midway up the stem, and then decline in size toward the apex. Leaf size on lateral branches depends upon the branches position relative to light inception. Leaves on flowering branches are typically considerably smaller than on the stems and lateral branches. 

The number of disk flowers varies among clones and with position on the plant. In a representative clone, there was an average of 58.8 disk flowers per inflorescence, with the inflorescences ranging from 4 to 8.5 cm in diameter. The diameter was slightly larger on flowering branches than on the main stem. 

Pig. 190.—Papaver Somniferunt—Flowering branch and fruit. (Sayre.)... 

Fig. 197.—Hamamelis virginiana. Upper figure shows this shrub as.it ap-. pears in autumn alter the leaves have fallen. Note that the plant is in blossom. Lower figure shows a flowering branch from the same plant. The bright yellow flowers occur in axillary clusters appearing at the same time as the fipening of fruits from blossoms of the previous year.

Fig. 211.—Euonymus atropurpureus. Flowering branch to left fruiting branch...

Fig. 237.—Chicory (Cickorium Intybus). A, portion of flowering branch B, basal leat (runcinate-pinnatifid) C, median longitudinal section through a head, showing the insertion ot the flowers D, individual flower E, fruit (ripened ovary), showing the persistent pappus (calyx) of short scales. (Gager.)...

Harvest mid-summer collect only upper third of flowering branches. 

Other distinguishing features Upper flowering branches sometimes trifurcated. 

Fig 11.1 Acacia celastrifolia. (A) Flowering branch. (B) Inflorescence with phyllode at its base. (C) Detail of phyllode with nectary and drop of nectar. (D) Flower with recurved petals, highly poly an drous androecium and four styles which are protruding above the level of the anthers. Scale bar = 1 cm in all. For colour illustration see plate section. 

Safflower a Flowering branch b Fruit (from Rehm and Espig, 1995, with permission). 

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