panicle

[ pan-i-kuhl ]

nounBotany.
  1. a compound raceme.

  2. any loose, diversely branching flower cluster.

Origin of panicle

1
1590–1600; <Latin pānicula tuft (on plants), diminutive of pānus thread wound on a bobbin, a swelling, ear of millet <Doric Greek pânos (Attic pênos) a web; see -i-, -cle1

Other words from panicle

  • pan·i·cled, adjective

Words Nearby panicle

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How to use panicle in a sentence

  • Unlike the other species of the same genus, its flowers form an erect spreading panicle, and the glumes are not keeled.

    The Sea Shore | William S. Furneaux
  • Your case of the panicle with open flowers being sterile is parallel to that of Leersia oryzoides.

  • The pretty red or rose-coloured flowers are arranged in a very loose terminal panicle, and have no scent.

    Field and Woodland Plants | William S. Furneaux
  • The flowers are sessile, in little rounded heads; the whole inflorescence forming an irregular umbel or a loose panicle.

    Field and Woodland Plants | William S. Furneaux
  • The flowers are very numerous, of a bright golden yellow-colour, forming a dense, terminal panicle.

    Field and Woodland Plants | William S. Furneaux

British Dictionary definitions for panicle

panicle

/ (ˈpænɪkəl) /


noun
  1. a compound raceme, occurring esp in grasses

  2. any branched inflorescence

Origin of panicle

1
C16: from Latin pānicula tuft, diminutive of panus thread, ultimately from Greek penos web; related to penion bobbin

Derived forms of panicle

  • panicled, adjective

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Scientific definitions for panicle

panicle

[ pănĭ-kəl ]


  1. A branched indeterminate inflorescence in which the branches are racemes, so that each flower has its own stalk (called a pedicel) attached to the branch. Oats and sorghum have panicles. See illustration at inflorescence.

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