panicle (panikl)

[= F. panicule = Sp. panículo, panoja = Pg. panicula = It. panicolo, L. panicula, a tuft on plants, a panicle, dim. of pan us , thread wound upon the bobbin in a shuttle: see panel .] A form of inflorescence produced, in its simple and normal type, when a raceme becomes irregularly compound by some of the pedicels developing into peduncles, each bearing flowers, or branching again and again in the same order. In the compound clusters thus produced, the secondary and tertiary ramifications usually differ in type, giving rise to a mixed inflorescence; hence the term panicle, as generally employed in botanical descriptions, signifies any loose and diversely branched cluster in which the flowers are pedicellate. See also cuts under Adlu mia, inflorescence, melic-gra , oat, and Osmunda. panicled (pan'i-kld), a. [ IMG:content-2234.jpg:[graphic] Panicle. Branch with the Paniculate Inflorescence of Lagerstræmia Indica. panic a (pan'ik), a. and n. [Formerly also pan- ich , panique , pannique ; F.panique = Sp.pánico = Pg. It. panico , panic, a panic, νικός , belonging to Pan, neut. τὸ πανικόν (with or without δεῖμα , fear), panic fear (L. lymph a- panic-monger (pan'ik-mung"gėr), n . One who creates or endeavors to create panics: used in le fear, such as is caused by sounds heard contempt. The Nation , Dec. 20, 1883. at night in lonely places, supposed to be inpanicograph (pan-i'kō-graf), n. Same as pan- spired by Pan, Πάν , Pan: see Pan3 .] I. a. 1. tic us pav or: see lymphatic2 ), sudden or ground iconograph. pan iconography. [ cap .] Of or pertaining to the god Pan: as, panicography (pan-i-kog'ra-fi), n . Same as Bacchic and Panic figures.-2. Inspired or as if inspired by Pan: applied to extreme or sud- den fright: as, panic fear. IMG:content-2235.jpg:[blocks in formation] II. n. 1. A sudden fright, particularly a sud den and exaggerated fright affecting a number of persons at once; terror without visible or ap preciable cause, or inspired by a trifling cause or by misapprehension of danger. Many of the Moors, in their panic , flung themselves from the bridge, and perished in the Guadayra; others were cut down and trampled under the hoofs of friends and foes. Irving, Moorish Chronicles, xviii. Panic is an outburst of terror affecting a multitude in common, and rendered more furious by sympathy or infection. A. Bain , Emotions and Will, p. 61. Specifically-2. An exaggerated alarm which takes po e ion of a trading community on the occurrence of a financial crisis, such as may be caused by the failure of an important bank, or the exposure of a great commercial swindle, inducing a general feeling of distrust, and impelling to hasty and violent measures to secure immunity from po ible lo , thus often precipitating a general financial disaster which was at first only feared. Syn. 1. Apprehension, Fright, etc. See alarm. panicalt (pan'i-kal), a. [ The gradual rise of the land [in Labrador] for a second time brings the succe ively rising surfaces under the influence not only of pan - ice , but of snow-drifts acting in the manner described. H. Y. Hind , in Can. Naturalist, N. S., VIII. 277. Paniceæ (pā-nis'ē-ē), n. pl. [NL., spikelets containing but one complete flower, by the awnle flowering glume and hardened fruit-bearing one, and by pedicels jointed to the spikelet, but not to the rachis. It includes 22 genera, of which Panicum is the type, and Paspalum, Setaria, Cenchrus, and Pennisetum are among the more important. panic-gra (pan'ik-gras), n. Same as panic1, panicky (pan'ik-i), a. [ Of or pertaining to panic; inclined to panic or sudden fright; disposed to di eminate panic; affected by panic: used particularly with reference to operations of trade or commerce: as, the market was very panicky. [Colloq.] The injury to crops is not sufficient to cause any panicky feeling. The American, VIII. 334. Our national party conventions have come to be panicky hordes, the prey of intrigues and surprises. New Princeton Rev., V. 206. raphy. panic-stricken, panic-struck (pan'ik-strik"n, -struk), a. Struck with a panic or sudden and overpowering fear. The Italians were panic - struck at the aspect of troops so different from their own. Pre scott, Ferd. and Isa., ii. 1.