floral axis

The floral axis is the stem to which floral organs are attached. In angiosperms, this axis can be short with very short internodes, and it typically ceases growth at some point, meaning it has determinate growth. Flower buds are modified leaves borne on this axis.1

Inflorescences are clusters of flowers on a branch or system of branches, categorized by flowering time and arrangement on an axis. In indeterminate inflorescences, the youngest flowers are at the top or center, and growth continues. Examples include racemes, spikes, catkins, corymbs, and heads. Determinate inflorescences, like cymes, cease growth once a flower is produced. The receptacle is the part of the floral axis where floral organs attach, either in a spiral or in whorls.23