74 THE LIVING CYCADS 



In Stangeria it is easy to find branching specimens, but 

 in the other tuberous genera the phenomenon seldom 

 appears. In the columnar forms branching specimens 

 are recognized at a glance when they are found. 



In the tuberous type the branching may be due to 

 injuries caused by contact with sharp stones, since 

 cycad locaHties are generally rather dry and stony. In 

 the columnar type much and perhaps all of the branch- 

 ing may be due to injuries or to the germination of seeds. 



An injury to the stem often results in the formation 

 of a bud, and a strong bud developing successive crowns 

 of leaves becomes a vigorous branch. Such branching 

 is seldom profuse, more than one, two, or three branches 

 being extremely rare. The most extreme cases occur 

 in Cycas revoluta in some of the Japanese gardens and 

 temple grounds, where the branching has been induced 

 artificially. 



In some cases a severe injury, like the burning of the 

 upper part of the plant in the fires which often occur 

 during the hot, dry season, may completely destroy the 

 crown and bud. After a long resting period a new bud 

 may appear in the cortex and develop a new trunk which 

 is really a branch from the old stem. 



In South Africa the top of the bread palm, 

 Encephalartos, is sometimes cut off for the sake of the 

 abundant starch. A bud may then appear in the cortex 

 and develop a new stem, as in the case of burned speci- 

 mens. In the Cathcart region I saw such branches 

 which must have reached an age of five hundred years 

 or more. 



Still another method, which is likely to result in the 

 formation of several branches, is due tg the gerniip^tiou 



