296 ME. D. MORRIS ON THE PRODUCTION 



of the crown with the subsequent growth of axillary or adven- 

 titious buds. In some instances branched specimens have been 

 produced (as in the instance recorded by Mr. Storey at Oodey- 

 pore) by the attack of insects. The brandies are often numerous 

 (three to twenty-two) and erect. The occurrence of " six lateral 

 branches overtopped by the main stem " (briefly recorded but not 

 figured by Scott) at Sookehur may have been produced, (1) by 

 the displacement of flowering buds by branched buds (cf. Nanno- 

 rhops); or (2) the development of adventitious buds when the 

 terminal bud had been temporarily checked but not destroyed. 

 The first of these alternatives is probably the true interpretation 

 of the occurrence in the wild date of Assam photographed by 

 Mr. C. B. Clarke. 



Amongst the Corypliece (which include both monocarpic and 

 polycarpic palms), Nannorliops is apparently the only genus in 

 which branched specimens appear. On exposed hills Nannorhops 

 Ritcliieana is stunted and stemless ; in valleys in good soil it 

 produces stems 5 to 7 feet in height or more. The branching 

 in the frequent specimens observed by Dr. Aitchison in the 

 Kurrum Valley # (if identical with the specimen in the Kew 

 Museum) is very interesting. Here the branches are arranged 

 alternately along the stem from base to summit, occupying the 

 usual position of the flowering-shoots. Dr. Aitchison's expla- 

 nation that these branches are due to a replacement of flowering- 

 buds by branch-buds is probably correct. As these branches 

 appear only on specimens in sheltered places with good soil 

 circumstances usually regarded as favourable to the production 

 of leafy and branch-shoots instead of flowering-shoots — this view 

 is confirmed. This is a well-established instance where a palm 

 branches regularly without injury to the terminal bud. In this 

 it agrees with what is recorded with regard to branching in 

 some specimens of Phoenix sylvestris. 



In the Borassece are included two or more species of Hi/phcene 

 with habitually branched stems. In Borassus flabelliformis 

 branched stems are frequently produced. The branching in 

 Borassus is caused in some cases by injury to the terminal bud 

 by tapping for toddy; in a few it may be due to insect injury. 

 It is, however, in some cases so regular and free from morbid 

 growth, that it is exactly comparable to what takes place in the 



* Journ. Linn. Soc. (Bot.) xix. p. 141 ; Gard. Chron. ser. III. ii. (1886), 

 p. 652. 



