an inflorescence in which a number of flower stalks or pedicels, nearly equal in length, spread from a common center.
Origin
1590-1600; < Latinumbella a sunshade, parasol, derivative of umbra shadow, shade; for formation see castellum
Examples from the web for umbel
Its bloom is an inconspicuous, yellow-green umbel near the top of the stem.
Flowers are borne in an umbel and are surrounded by yellowish-green showy bracts.
The successive segments of the stem become progressively shorter bearing a terminal umbel of racemes.
The small, yellowish-green flowers are borne in an umbel on a short stalk above the leaves and develop into bright red berries.
The small, yellowish-green flowers are borne in an umbel on a short stalk above the leaves, and develop into bright red berries.
British Dictionary definitions for umbel
umbel
/ˈʌmbəl/
noun
1.
an inflorescence, characteristic of umbelliferous plants, in which the flowers arise from the same point in the main stem and have stalks of the same length, to give a cluster with the youngest flowers at the centre
C16: from Latin umbella a sunshade, from umbra shade
Word Origin and History for umbel
1590s, from Latin umbella "parasol," diminutive of umbra (see umbrage).
umbel in Science
umbel
(ŭm'bəl) A flat or rounded indeterminate inflorescence in which the individual flower stalks (called pedicels) arise from about the same point on the stem at the tip of the peduncle. The geranium, milkweed, and onion have umbels. Umbels usually show centripetal inflorescence, with the lower or outer flowers blooming first.