Raceme
A very simple explanation of our Dirty Word of the Day comes from the website Botany World. Citing Botany World, a raceme is a type of flower inflorescence with a central stem (or axis) that produces a series of flowers along its length in an unbranched arrangement. Each flower is attached to the central stem by a short stalk.. The flowers bloom from the bottom up, meaning the oldest flowers are at the base of the raceme and the newest at the tip.
The term ?raceme? comes from the Latin ?racēmus? which means ?a cluster or bunch? as with grapes. It was first used in 1785.
Difference between a raceme and an inflorescence
The term inflorescence is used to describe the arrangement of flowers on a plant. It refers to the pattern and sequence of flower budding and blooming, as well as how the flowers are organised on the stem or branches. There are many different types of inflorescences, such as racemes, spikes, umbels and panicles.
Racemes are inflorescence, but not all inflorescences are racemes. Examples of racemes occur on:
Alyssum
Avocado
Black Locust
Bleeding Hearts
Bluebells
Coral Bells
Delphinium
Foxglove
Horse Chestnut
Hyacinth
Lilac
Lily of the Valley
Lupine
Mustard
Radish
Snapdragon
Wisteria
Vanda orchids