OF FORKED AND BRANCHED PALMS. 297 



branching of Dracaena Draco*. Numerous axillary buds have 

 arisen in a whorl at the apex of the stem, and when prolonged 

 into branches they form a dense mass radiating in all directions. 

 On the other hand (as shown in Ferguson's coloured plate, re- 

 produced in fig. 5), there are some specimens exhibiting the 



extreme condition of morbid growth seen in Oredoxa regia at 

 Cuba, with a candelabra! branching system in one plane. 



In Cocoineoe the only branched specimens so far recorded belong 

 to the single species Cocos nucifera. In the other genera of this 

 tribe, for instance JElaeis, are included palms occupying the area 

 of nearly half a continent, and yet not a single instance of 

 branching appears to be recorded amongst them. The charac- 

 teristic feature in branched cocoanut palms is the simple fork, 

 /. e. a single pair of branches surmounting the original stem. 

 The cause of this simple forking may arise as shown in Ilyphcenc, 

 or be consequent upon injury to the terminal bud. In the latter 

 case the terminal bud is destroyed by insects or by some mecha- 

 nical injury. Two axillary buds inserted immediately below (one 

 on either side) would grow out into branches. This is com- 

 parable to what takes place in the common lilac, where the ter- 

 minal bud is aborted and the two uppermost axillary buds take 

 its place. The forked appearance common in Cocos nucifera may 

 therefore ha\ T e its origin in a cause entirely different from that 

 seen in Hyphcene. An instance of the displacement of flowering- 

 buds by branch-buds in Cocos nucifera has not yet been traced. 

 The leafy proliferation of the spadix of this palm, in Southern 

 India, noticed by Dr. Andy is, however, of interest. 



From a consideration of the foregoing it may be gathered : 

 (a) Branching is habitual in certain species of Hyphcene : it is 

 occasional in certain other species of Hyphcene, and (arising from 

 various causes) it is occasional also in certain palms belonging 

 to the genera Areca, Bhopalostylis, Dictyosperma, Oreodoxa, 

 Leopoldinia, Phoenix, Nannorhops, Borassus, and Cocos. (b) In 

 numerous cases branching in palms is the result of injury to, or 

 destruction of, the terminal bud causing the development of 

 axillary or adventitious buds below the apex. These buds, when 

 lengthened -out, produce branches, (c) In some cases branching 

 in palms, as in Nannorhops Bitchieana and Phoenix sylvestris, is 

 caused by the replacement of flowering-buds by branch-buds. In 



* Draccena Draco in Supp. Gard. Chron., Oct. 20, 1888, and Boraxsm flabelli- 

 forviis in Trans. Linn. Soc. xxvi. p. 661, pi. li. fig. 1, may be thus compared. 



LINN. JOURN. BOTANY, VOL. XXI.Y. Z 



