umbel, involucre

An umbel (Fig. 203) as in the Milkweed, a sort of flower-cluster where the pedicels all spring apparently from the same point, from the top of the peduncle, so as to resemble, when spreading, the rays of an umbrella whence the name. Here the pedicels are sometimes called the rays of the umbel. And the bracts, when brought into a cluster or circle, form what is called an involucre… When the stalks which in the simple umbel are the pedicels of single flowers themselves branch into an umbel, a compound umbel is formed. This is the inflorescence of Caraway (Fig 208), Parsnip, and almost all of the great family of Umbelliferous (umbel-bearing) plants.¹