Shedding of Bothrodendron . 
227 
the preservation is so excellent that had the branch been any longer or in 
any way different in form, it would most certainly have shown the fact quite 
clearly. 
The other specimen (PL XI, Fig. 4) is of rather a different nature: it 
consists of what appears to be the 
termination of a main trunk, which 
gives off branches in two opposite 
and alternate rows—an entirely new 
form of branching for a Bothro¬ 
dendron. 
The various surface features, 
such as leaf scars, are nearly as well 
preserved as in the first specimen. 
The main axis is about fourteen 
inches in length and is an inch in 
diameter in its widest part. There 
are five branches well shown, and 
these each have a broadened 
trumpet-shaped base. Some are 
seen to dichotomize at a short 
distance from the main stem. (See 
Text-fig. 3.) Others show clear 
evidence of the spreading, bushy 
mass of small branches which 
characterized the other specimen. 
This is well shown in the lowest 
branch exposed. Here we have a 
branch the base of which gradually 
broadens out until it is about two 
and a half times the size of the 
branch itself in diameter. This is 
exactly the relation in size of 
the branch to its base in the 
first specimen, and at a similar 
distance in both the branches 
dichotomize and spread out. In 
both, also, further branches below 
are exposed on excavation, and 
in both the foliage is retained 
on the upper portion, while lower down it has fallen away, leaving typical 
leaf scars. 
A very important point to notice in connexion with this specimen 
is the fact that the cortex of the branch is continuous with that of the main 
Q 2 
Text-fig. 3. 
Both rodendron minutifolium , 
§ nat. size. 
