Umbel

In botany, an umbel is an inflorescence that consists of a number of short flower stalks (called pedicels) that spread from a common point, somewhat like umbrella ribs. The word was coined in botanical usage in the 1590s, from Latin umbella "parasol, sunshade".^[1] The arrangement can vary from being flat-topped to almost spherical. Umbels can be simple or compound. The secondary umbels of compound umbels are known as umbellules^[2] or umbellets.^[3] A small umbel is called an umbellule.^[3] The arrangement of the inflorescence in umbels is referred to as umbellate, or occasionally subumbellate (almost umbellate).

Umbels are a characteristic of plants such as carrot, parsley, dill, and fennel in the family Apiaceae; ivy, Aralia and Fatsia in the family Araliaceae; and onion (Allium) in the family Alliaceae.

An umbel is a type of indeterminate inflorescence.^[3]^[4] A compressed cyme, which is a determinate inflorescence, is called umbelliform if it resembles an umbel.

^ umbel etymology
^ Cite error: The named reference foc was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^ ^a ^b ^c Beentje, H.; Williamson, J. (2010). The Kew Plant Glossary: an Illustrated Dictionary of Plant Terms. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew: Kew Publishing.
^ Walters, D.R.; Keil, D.J. (1975). Vascular Plant Taxonomy. Dubuque: Kendall/Hunt Publishing Company.

[1] umbel etymology

[foc-2] Cite error: The named reference foc was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

[Beentje-3] Beentje, H.; Williamson, J. (2010). The Kew Plant Glossary: an Illustrated Dictionary of Plant Terms. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew: Kew Publishing.

[4] Walters, D.R.; Keil, D.J. (1975). Vascular Plant Taxonomy. Dubuque: Kendall/Hunt Publishing Company.

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