DR. SHOBTT ON BRANCHED PALMS IX S. IKDIA. 15 



tions to the general rule in the case of the Palmyra and Cocoa- 

 nut, which are sometimes found with branches. Since the subject 

 first attracted mj attention, some two years ago, I have been 

 searching for these during my peregrinations over Southern 

 India, in connexion with my own immediate work ; and in that 

 time I have seen some million of Palm-trees, both on the coast 

 and some hundreds of miles inland ; and neither my OM^n re- 

 searches nor the results of my inquiries have enabled me to trace 

 more than six of the Palmyra and two of the Cocoa-nut with 

 branches. The latter I have not seen, but have received draw- 

 ings of them from my friend Dr. Pulney Andy. 



In the Palmyra the branching is irregular ; but in the Cocoa-nut 

 the tendency to division in pairs exists. Twin plants from the 

 Palmyra are very common all over this portion of India ; but such 

 an occurrence in the Cocoa-nut is a variety. I have seen but 

 one instance of it, and that was in my own garden at Chingle- 

 put ; and a couple of hundred yards from it, beyond my com- 

 pound, a twin Palmyra of the same age was found growing. 



Since this paper was written, I observe, from a late number of 

 the ' Madras Times,' that in a horticultural show the other day 

 at Travancore a Cocoa-nut w*as exhibited with five or six shoots 

 growing out of a single root. At the same time a plant of the 

 Areka Palm w^as also said to be exhibited having from seven to 

 nine heads; this is also an exception to the rule. 



The following are the localities in which these branched Palms 



may be seen : 



1. A few miles from Masulipatam, on the road to Bintriuully, 

 a Palmyra tree existed witli twelve branches. During the last 

 cyclone ten of these were broken ; of the remaining two, one has 

 withered, the other exists ; seven of the broken branches are 

 lying close by, and three stems have been washed away to some 



distance. 



2. At Paulghaut, about three miles from the town, on the 

 Cormbutne road, and about half a mile from the road itself, exists 

 a branched Palmyra. It is a twin plant, and one of the two has 



six branches. 



3. At Madara, on the northern bank of the river Vegay, there 

 is a Palmyra tree with nine branches; one is broken, and the 

 other eight exist ; this is a male tree, shown in the accompanying 

 woodcut. 



4. At Eamnad, on the bank of the river Vegay, is to be seen 



