SOME EVOLUTION TRENDS IN THE INFLORESCENCE OF POACEAE

It is postulated that the wide diversity shown by the inflorescence of grasses can be explained by means of a fairly restricted number of pr ocesses which have mainly reductive characteristics. Depending on the mode of action of these processes, a means is proposed by which the or igin of different types of inflorescences can be recognized. In all ca ses, the starting point is a panicle with primary and secondary branch es, from which, following four major evolutionary trends, the origins of other structures can be determined.