Coming to terms: panicle

In the first installment of”Coming to terms” (28 June), I discussed an type of inflorescence called a raceme. Today’s post is about a kind of “super raceme” called a panicle. This is a raceme with side-branches which in turn are also racemes.
The plant chosen as an example is Aloe perfoliata (A. comptonii), flowering on the Rooiberg plateau south of Calitzdorp 6 October 2012.

aloeperf #2012-10-06 8016res

aloeperf#2012-10-06 8018res

aloeperf#2012-10-06 8024res