ON FORKED AND BEANUHED PATINS. 281

On the Pheuomena concerned in the Production of Forked and Branched Palms. By DANIEL MORRIS, M.A., F.L.B., Assistant Director, Royal Gardens, Kew.

J?hd 7th April, 1893.3

IN most palms there is a subcylindrical stem surmounted by a mass of palmate, pinnate, or rarely pinnatisect leaves. The stem may vary from a slender reed to a huge column. As it is formed by the continuous development of a single rnonopodial bod, palms have, normally, an uubranched caudex, either erect, scandent, or sometimes prostrate. For the purpose of anatomical descrip- tion, Mohl divided palm-stems into certain well-defined classes. These, with slight modifications rendered necessary in the treat- ment of the present subject, are as follows :-

(a) Reed-like-slender, erect stems, as in Geonoma, Chamadorea, Rhapis.

(b) Calamoid-long, slender, elastic stems, as in Calamus, Plectocomia, Domonorops.

( c ) Cylindrical-smooth, round, erect, somewhat slender stems, as in Zaur i t ia , Qhocarpzcs, Astrocaryum.

( d ) Cocos-like-thick, irregularly marked, sometimes shaggy, tall stems, as in Borassus, Corypha, Elceis, Cocos.

To these may be added the so-called stemless palms with short tumid stems, as in Phomix acaulis, Astrocaryum acaule, Sabal Adansoni.

In Serenoa serrulata and N i p a fruticans their horizontal creeping stems are said to be slightly branched*. Besides these, the only palms with erect stems that habitually branch are one or two species of Hyphcene. The Doum palm, Hyphcene tkebaica, has several branches arranged dichotomously. H. P e - tersiana, represented in a photograph from Sir John Kirk in the Kew Museum, has very numerous branches, probably 30 to 40 arising from a single stem. H. coriacea in the neighbourhood of the mouth of the Zambesi, at least, is seldom more than oncedivided ; while in the East-African form of H. crinita the stem is cylindrical and unbranched. H. ventricosa, as its name implies, has a stem swollen in the middle and is also unbranched t. The branching

These, however, are analogous to the underground rhizomes of other

-f Kirk in Journ. Linn. Sot. k. p. 234. palms.

LINN. J0UBN.-BOTANY, VOL. I n . Y

282 XR. D. MORRIS OX THE PRODUCTION

in Hyphane, when it takes place, is said to be due, not to the division of the apical region (which would be true dichotomy), but to the occasioual growth of " a single axillary bud, the deve- lopment of which soon equals that of the parent axis, and causes the deflection of the latter so as to give a forked appearance" *. I am unable to verify this statement by reference to actual specimens; but by analogy it may be assumed to be correct. A similar appearance of dichotomy is shown in the forked specimens of Pandanus, Yucca, Pellosia, Agave, Aloe, and other monocotyledonous genera. Sachs, in discussing the general mode of branching in monocotyledons, says it " is always mono- podia1 and usually axillary ; a bud is generally formed in the axil of each leaf, but often does not unfold; so that the number of branches visible is often less than that of the leaves (as in Agave, A h ; , Dracmnrc, Palms, he.) "t.

Asa Gray says, " dichotomy or a forking division of an apex into two. . . . occurs rarely and exceptionally, if at all, in phaenogams "z.

Fig. 1.

Longitudinal section of a branching stem of the Dourn Palm, Hyphcene thebffiiew (Kew Museum). a. Xain axis. b. Fully developed axillary branch.

* Henfrey, ' Element. Bot.' ( E G O ) , p. 37. t Sachs'a ' Textbook of Bot.,' Engl. transl. (1875), p. 543. 1 ' Struct. Bot.' p. 47.

OF FORKED AND BBANCHED PALXS, 283

The branching in HjrpAme, and possibly also in most palms of a similar character, may therefore be regarded it8 due to the development of side-branches arising from axillary buds, and not to a division of the apical bud (fig. 1). Another point of analogy is fouud in the development of shoots or suckers from axillary buds a t the base of Phmnix dactylifera, Chamerops Aumilis, and other palms of a soboliferous character. Further, where iqjury has occurred t o the terminal bud, the axillary buds, usually dormant, are incited into growth by the abundance of nourishment which the former would have monopolized. Another mode of branching is produced by the development of numerous adventitious buds just below the apex. The Iatter will be shown to be common in certain genera. The particular way in which axillary and adventitious buds appear, and the character they give the plaut when lengthened out into branches, differ in almost every genus. The branching in Borassus (dichotomous or whorled) is quite unlike that in Cocos (often simple forked), while again in Areca (erect, branched, or candelabral) it assumes a character easily distinguished from the other genera. Such differences depend upon the length of the internodes, the dis- tribution of the vascular bundles, and probably also the size of the stem.

Branching in palms has not been fully investigated, and t h e available literature ia often scanty and unsatisfactory. For instance, such a record as “ a Palm near Keueh (Egypt) has fifteen stems from one root ” *, is so vague as to be useless. This may have been a branched date-palm, or a group of stems pro- duced from the root-suckers of the same palm. On the other hand, it may have been nothing but an ordinary specimen of the Doum palm. Again, DIr. William Milne, in a note on the Palms of Fiji t, speaks of “ several forking varieties of palms as occur- ring in those islauds.” There is here no clue as to the species nor any particulars as to the appearance presented by the trees.

* Gladsby’s ‘Wanderings ’ (1880), p. 338. t Trans. Bot. Soc. Edinb. vi. p. 358. [nbte added.-In the Kew Museum is a specimen labelled “fruit of the

branched cocoa-nut of the Fiji IslancLx-Mr. Milne.” I t is possible, therefow, that one at least of the forking specimens seen by Mr. M h e was a coooa-nut palm.]

T 2

284 MR. D. MORE18 ON THE PRODUCTION

Martius * figures, in his great work, branched palms of two species only ; Masters, in ' Vegetable Teratology ' (1869), had so few facts available at the time, that the subject is hardly men- tioned. It is probable, also, that the occurrence was looked upon as chiefly the result of morbid growth due to disease or injury. It is, moreover, a peculiarity of branched palms, from the larger area presented by them to strong winds, that they are especially liable to be destroyed by hurricanes. They are probably in many instances comparatively short-lived, and their occurrence may thus escape observation. Many specimens recorded in this paper have already ceased to exist.

A short paper on Branched Palms in Southern India, by Dr. Andy, was read before this Society in 1867 t. The Apecies men- tioned were Borassus jlabellifrrnis and Cocos nnucifra. Atten- tion was drawn in the same paper to a leafy proliferation appearing on the spadix of the latter. A paper with exactly the same title was read before the Society a little later by Dr. Shortt $. Occa- sional exhibitions of photographs and drawings of branched palms are recorded in the Society's ' Proceedings.' More recently an interesting " Note on some Branching Palms " was read before the Bombay Natural History Society by Mrs. W. E. Hart in 18889. This was illustrated by a figure of the well-known branched palm (Phmnix syvlvestris) at Indore, and of a specimen of the same species growing on Cumballa Hill, Bombay. Refer- ences are given to other specimens in India. These communi- cations, with an occasional notice in the ' Gardeners' Chronicle,' appear to exhaust the attempts made to deal with the subject. All are, however, confined to Indian specimens. The species directly and indirectly discussed are of the following genera :- Borassus, Cocos, Phmnix, Areca. The further material available consists of scattered references in works of travel, in periodical literature, and in museum hand-books. I am indebted to Mr. B. Daydon Jackson, Secretary of the Society, for many references to works not easily accessible, and I would tender to him my thanks for them.

* ' Hist. Nat. Palm.' i. tab. 2. 2. t Trans. Linn. SOC. xxvi. p. 661, PI. li. $ Journ. Linn. SOC. (Bot.) xi. p. 14. 5 Journ. Bombay Nat. Hist. Soo. iii. p. 250.

OF PORKED AND BRANCHED PALUS. 285

It may be well to point out that only those palms are treated as branched that have divisions of the main stem, started at some time or tho other from or near the apex. The large number of soboliferous palms that send out axillary buds near the base, such as species of Phonix, Caryota, Diplothemiurn, Chanamdorea, Chrysalidocarpus, Chammrops, are necessarily excluded. I n some of these the axillary buds are developed underground (rami Rypogmi), forming rhizomes giving rise to clusters of stems crowded together, as in species of Rhapis, Calamus, Bactris, Geonoma. Again, owing to the development or two or more ovules in COCOS and others (or the occurrence of polyembrgony, which is sometimes reported to take place in palms), more than one stem m y be produced from one fruit. Such stems appear to start from a single point close to the ground. They are, however, perfectly distinct individuals, although they are some- times loosely described as possessing several stems arising from one root.

An interesting group of palms, belonging to several widely distinct genera, described as monocarpic has a terminal inflores- cence appearing once only. After the plant has flowered and ripened its fruit, it dies". Some soboliferous paluis, such as .M.etroxyZon, are also monocarpic. Other monocarpic genera are : Co y p h a , Raphia, Caryota, Ancistrophyllum, Plectocornia, Eugeis- sonia, and possibly Arenga. I am unable to record a single instance where a branched stem appears amongst monocarpic palms. The probable reason for this is owing to the fact that the life and vigour of these plants are so fully localized in the terminal bud, that when this is destroyed there is not sufficient energy left to push forth new buds. It would be useful to keep such palms under observation nith the view of solving this problem.

The genera in which branched palms have so far been observed are a8 follows :-

They are in no sense branched.

* Am Gray (Struct. Bot,. p. 33) suggests monotocous (bearing progeny once) and polytocous (bearing many times) instead of De Candolle's terms moiiocarpic and polycarpic.

286 U R . U. NORXIS ON THE PRODUCTION

Natural Order PALXX. Tribe. Genus.

Arecere ........................... Areca. Rhopalostylis. Dictyosperma. Oreodoxa. Leopoldinia.

PJmnicere ........................ Phoenix. Coryphem ........................ Xannorhops. Borassea ........................ Hpphane.

Borassus. Cocoinem ........................ COCOS.

Tribe ARECEE.

ABECA OATECHU, L. Betel-nut Palm. A very slender, tall palm, widely cultivated in the Eastern

tropics. The occurrence of forked or branched specimens is evi- dently very rare. Dr. Andy reports the existence of a specimen with dichotomous division, existing prior to 1867, in the town of Trevandrum, Southern India *. An apparently similar specimen is quoted from the ‘Times of India ’ (1SS5) by Mrs. W. E.Hart as occurring at Cayenne t. This was 100 feet high, aud divided at a height of about 30 feet into two stems equal in height and diameter. A third specimen, 10 years old and about 20 feet high, was noticed by Mr. W. F. Siuclair a t Shrinardhan, Tanjore, i u December 1859 $. “About three years previously it was attacked by a disease called B d n d 9, which had killed many trees in the neighbourhood, when the top almost died away. This has now been replaced by 15 to 18 distinct tops growing in a flat close bundle in such a manner that one canuot count them’ accurately without climbing the tree. The whole tree has the appearance of a gigantic hohsemaid’s broom.” This account is of value a s shoning the appearance of a palm during the early stages of branching. Mr. Sinelair’s observation as regards branchiug

* Trans. Linn. SOC. xmi. p. GG2. t Journ Bombay Nat. Hist. Soc. iii. p. 252. $ Ihid. iv. p. 317.

‘’ Bind ” or I‘ Bound.” Probably a local disease induced by unfavourable conditions of soil or climate.

OF FORKED AND BILANCEED PAL368; 287

immediately following injury to the terminal bud ie supported by numerous instance8 recorded in other palms.

RHOPALOSTYLIS SAPIDA, H. Wendl. 4 Z)ru.de. Nikau Palm. . This, one of the most southerly kuown pdms, is a native of

New Zealand. It has a slender, straight stern with pinnate leaves. An interesting specimen with eleven branches is described and figured by Mr. Percy Smith, who found it growing at the base of

Fig. 8.

Branching specimen of Xkau Palm, Rhpalostulis sapida (Percy Smith).

Tangihua Mount, Whangarei, New Zealand (fig. 2). At 5 feet from the ground it divided into eleven distinct branches, and after rising some 10 feet higher so,me of the latter divided again into

288 MI1. D. YOBE18 ON THE PRODUCTIOB

other branches. covered with a fine head of luxuriant leaves *.

The total height was 30 feet ; each branch was

DICTYO~PERMA ALBUM, H. Wendl. 4 Drade. (Areca alba, Bory.)

Martius (Hist. Nat. Palm. i. tab. 8. 2) figures five specimens of this palm with from two to seven branches. They are very similar in habit to those described in the last species. Dr. Eing, of the Royal Botanical Gardens, Calcutta, mentions the occur- rence of a forked specimen of this species in his collections in 1886 t.

OREODOXA REGLA, Eunth. Royal Palm. Oreodoxa regia and 0. oleracea are known as the cabbage-

palms of Tropical America. The former is very ornamental, and is often used to form magnificent avenues, as in the Botanical aardens of Rio de Janeiro. A singularly branched specimen with nine heads is mentioned by Ramon de la S a g a as occurring at Baracoa, Cuba $. The axis was single up to a certain height. It then appeared to spread horizontally to the right and left, and ultimately give rise to nine branches of a candelabra1 character, all apparently in the same plane.

LEOPOLDINIA PULCHEA, Zar t . Jar6 Palm. This handsome palm has stems 6 to 8 feet in height. They

Fig. 3.

Section of branched specimen of Leopoldiitia pulchrn (Kew Museum). a. Main anis. b. M a r y branch.

* Trans. N. 2. Instit. X. (1878), p. 175. 1 Prw. Agri-Hort. SOC. Ind. viii. p. xlviii. 3 Comptes Rendus, I n . p. 550.

OF FORKED AI’TD BRANCHED PALMS. 289

are either solitary or caespitose. They appear sometimes in dense clusters, arising from root-suckera around the parent stem, or from underground shoots. A stem of this palm, brought by Dr. Trail from near Mana6s on the Rio Negro, Brazil (in the Kew Museum), is forked. This was probably caused by the growth of an axillary bud, as in H y p h m e thebaica (fig. 3).

Tribe PE(ENICEA3.

PHIENIX DACTYLIFERA, L. Date-Palm. The date-palm is a native of North Africa and South-western

Asia. This is one of the few species habitually throwing out shoots at the base also said t o be branched. Martius (Eist. Nat. Palm. i. tab. Z. 2) figures a specimen of P. dactylifera with a short side-branch midway between the base and summit. The size and position of this branch are not, however, couclusive in favour of admitting the date-palm amongst those with recognized branches. The only other evidence is given by Brandis (’ Forest Flora,’ p. 553), who states that “branching stems are occasionally found in the Punjab.” Brandis is so reliable an authority, that the statement has weight. On the other hand, the “ date-palm ” of the North-Western Provinces and the Punjab is Phcmix sylvestris. Mr. Grote, P.L.S., exhibited before the Society (Proceedings, 1872-73, p. vi) a drawiug of a branched P. dactylifera, but no particulars are given.

Stewart *, referring to the records of branching in palms in Northern India, states, “ I quite agree with Edgeworth that they merely result from seeds falling into and germinating in the axils of the petioles.” Brandis rightly regards this view “as im- probable.” The same point has been fully discussed and shown to be quite untenable by Dr. Beaumont t.

It thrives in the driest regions.

P H ~ N I X EIYLVESTRIS, Roxb. This forms extensive forests in some parts of India.

Khajoor or Wild Date. It yields

a sweet juice (toddy) which is largely made into sugar (jaggery). A deep notch is made into the trunk near the apex. The juice

* ‘ Punjab Plants,’ p. 224. t Cited in ‘ Gdeners’ Chroniclo,’ i. (1874), pp. 116-118.

290 NR. D. MOILRIS ON THE PRODUCTION

flows for some time, and after a short rest a similar notch is cut on the other side. A wild date is fit to cut when six to ten years old, and yields toddy for twenty years.

There are many instances of branching specimens amongst the wild date of India. A fine specimen was growing in the Xesidency Garden, Indore, in 1873, with a trunk 22 feet high to the first branch, and with twenty vertical closely packed branches. I n 1888 these branches were reduced to twelve. A figure was given in the ‘Journal Agri-Hort. SOC. India,’ iv. n. s. 1873, and a more recent one in the ‘Journal Bombay Nat. Hist. Soc.’ vol. iii. (1888) p. 250. Mr. J. Scott, in commuuicating a note on the above palm to the Agri-Hort. Society of India, mentioned that a large specircen of the wild date existed near Ooloobariah with seven well-developed heads. Another, but a smaller one, existed at Sookchur, near Barrackpore, with six lateral branches over- topped by the main crown. Both these were uprooted by the cyclone of 1864. Mr. Storey forwarded a photograph of a branched wild date growing in a jungle about thirty miles from Oodeypore *. This had a low stem branching at a few feet from the ground with seven branches, one being broken. Mr. Storey attributes the branching of palms in his neighbourhood to the action of a palm-beetle, identified by Professor Westwood as Oryctes rhinoceros t. He adds, ‘‘ 1 have in niy garden one tree which has been attacked, and it is now throwing out a side-shoot.” A third specimen, shown in a photograph also sent by Mr. Storey (now in the Kew Museum), is a striking tree with three branches. One of these appears to be a aide-shoot wbich has emerged at a comparatively late period. A specimen shown in a photograph taken by Mr. C. B. Clarke, F.R.S., at Noagong, Assam (in the Eew Museum), has several branches arranged alternately along the stem. The first emerged at about 4 feet from the ground. I n this, as in Nannorhops Rifchieaiza (presently to be consi- dered), these branches appeared to be produced by flowering buds being replaced by branch-buds.

NANNORBOPS RITCHIEANA, H. Wendl. 4 Drwde. This is a fau-leaved palm, a native of the barren hills below * Gard. Chron. ii . (1889), p. 275, fig. 40. t Oyctes rhinoceyos is commonly known as the Rhinoceros, Elephant, or

Another enemy of palm-trees is Rhymhophomu ferwgilhmrs, Two specie3 of other beetles (Cullimzdrc~) also injure

Black Beetle. k n o w as the Red Beetle. PalIllS.

OF FORKED AND BRANCHED PALM#. 291

the tableland of Afghanistan and Beloo- Fig. 4.

chistan, and extending into Kashmir. It is generally stemless, the tufts of leaves arising from a creeping underground rhi- zome. A stem is, however, produced under favourable circumstances. Dr. Aitchison states Q :-“At Alizai I succeeded in procu- ring for the Museum at Kew a branching specimen of N. Ritchieana. . . . . The pro- duction of branches in this palm is due, I believe, to the arrest of the large inflores- cence.” The specimen brought by Dr. Aitchison is about 10 feet high, and there are fifteen branches alternately arranged on the trunk (fig. 4). According to a further note by Dr. Aitchison .t, this palm was “frequently seen occurring in sheltered places as a branching tree of from 15 to 25 feet in height.”

BORASSUS FLABELLIFORMIS, L. Palmyra Palm.

A large fan-leaved palm of the East Indies and Tropical Africa. It has a stout stem 60 to 100 feet high. Ic is a toddy- yielding palm, and large quantities of jaggery sugar are obtained from it. This species is not infrequently found in a branched state. It is described (Gen. Plant. iii. p. 939), “ interdum ayicem versus furcato v. pauci-ramoso.” It is a marked feature in the branching of the Palmyra palm that the number of branches is very numerous, often so high as forty and seldom below four. The stems are either forked as in l lypkane, or they sometiniea emerge in a whorl almost at right angles to the main trunk. Both sorts are shown in Dr. Andy’s paper already cited 2.

* Journ. Linn. SOC. (Bot.) xix. p. 140 (with figure). t Gard. Chron. Ber. 111. ii. (1886), p. 652. $ Trans. Linn. SOC. xxvi. p. 661, pl. li.

Branching stem of Kun- norhops Ratchzeana (Kew Museum).

292 MR. D. MORRIB ON THE PRODUCTION

The following instances of branching in Borassus~abe l~ i formis

Jaffna, Ceylon (W. Peerguson), ' Palmyra Palm,' p. 40, with Other branched specimens are

are recorded :-

coloured plate, [6]* (fig. 5).

Fig. 5.

Branched Palmyra Palm, BmassusJabelliformis, Ceylon (W. Ferguson).

cited in this work as occurring " on the island of Delft and on the smaller islands near Jaffna, and the writer saw one some months ago (1850) near Oodooville with six heads." Amedahad, India (Porbes), ' Oriental Memoirs,' ii. p. 201, [40]. Travancore (Alzdy), Trans. Linn. SOC. xxvi. p. 661, pl. li. fig. 1 [4], fig. 2 [7]. Madara, India (Xhortt) , Journ. Linn. SOC. (Bot.) xi. p. 14 (with woodcut), [9]. Other specimens cited in this note are as follows :--Masdipatam [l2] ; Paulgbaut [6] ; R.amnad [4], " below the divisions the stem is covered with numerous other shoots of

* The figures in square brackets in this and following sections indicate the numbers of branches present in each instance.

OF FOLIKED AND BRANCHED PALXS. 293

different sizes.” Tanjore (Bidie), Proc. Linn. SOC. 1887-88, p. 3, [8]. Iudia (Bzcrton), ‘An Indian Olio,’ p. 79, cited in Journ. Bombay Nat. Hist. S0c.iii.p. 263, [7]. BrandL, ‘Forest Flora,’ p. 545, states, “ forked and branched stems are occasionally seen.” East Africa (H. H. Johnston), ‘ Kilima-njaro Expedition,’ p. 349, fig. 65, [3].

Cocos NUCIPEEA, L. Cocoanut Palm. The cocoanut is possibly the most widely distributed of any

palm. It is found under cultivation in the tropics of both worlds. It is therefore under close observation, and the occurrence of

Fig. 6.

Branched Cocoanut Palm, Cocos nucifera, Dornoek Pen, Jamaica (De B. Heaven).

branched specimens is readily noticed. In spite of this, however, Sir John Kirk in twenty years saw only one specimen of a branched cocoanut palm in East Africa, although during that time he had observed several hundred thousands in a normal state. In nine out of thirteen cases here recorded the stem is once-forked only.

299 M.R. D- MOREIB OR THE PRODUCTION

In the others a regular dichotomous branching may be traced. The highest number of branches recorded is seven. At Calcutta a branched cocoanut, since blown down, was held in great vene- ration and offerings of flowers, fruit, and rice were scattered around its roots by the Hindoos. I n Fiji a forked stem of a

Fig. 7. W

Longitudinal section through stern of branched Cocoanut Palm, C‘OCOS nu- a. Position of destroyed terminal burl. cifera, Fiji (Kew Museum).

6, b. Axillary branches.

cocoanut palm (now in the Kew Museum) was called “Nim nibsaTzga by the natives, who attached superstitious ideas to the occurrence.” The eollowing instances of branched cocoanut palms have been noticed :-

Seychelles (Xorth Gallery, No. 491), [el; Dornock Pen, Jamaica ( H e a v e n ) , drawing, [5] : Proc. Bot. SOC. Edin. ri. p. 75 (see fig. 6) ; Chapelton, Jamaica (Schardssmidt), drawing, [2] ; Fiji, specimen E e w MUS. ii., [2] (see fig. 7) ; Singapore (Jamie), photograph, Kew Mus. ii., [2J ; Zanzibar (-Kirk), photograph, Kew MUB. ii., [2] ; Travancore (Andy), Trans. Linn. SOC. xxvi. p. 662, pl. li., 121 ; Mount Lovinia, Ceylon ( H d d a n e ) , drawing, [2] ; Kuripan, Java (Otto Kulztze), ‘ Um die Erde,’ p. 28S, [2] ; Jabalpur (Kabraji), cited in Journ. Bombay Nnt. Hist. SOC. iii. ’p. 250, [7j ; Csskutta (Scott) , Bard. Chron. i. (1874) pp. 116-118,

OP FORKED AND BRANCHED PALMS. 295

C5] ; Coneghur (Scott) , ibid. [2] ; Grote in Proceedings Linn. SOC. 1872-73, p. vi, “ Drawing of branched cocoanut palm.”

In the Areceae the branches vary in number from two to eighteen. Where the stem is simply forked, the branches have arisen as will be shown presently in COCOS nuc;fera. The branches often are erect, numsrous, and closely packed. The destruction of the terminal bud is particularly observed in one instance, Areca Catecku ; and the result is a mass of adventitious buds crowded near the apex. I n Oreodoxa vegia the candelabra1 appearance of the branches in the specimen found at Baraeoa, Cuba, is very remarkable, as it exhibits an extreme development of morbid growth. I n most of the other specimens the branches ara healthy and well grown ; and in the Nea-Zealand Rhopalo- stylis, especially, there is now, at least, no trace of either disease or injury. The occurrence of branched specimens in the genus Leopoldinia is apparently new.

Amongst the Phoeniceae the date-palm, P h e n i s dartylllfera, is recorded in a branched state only with a small sidebranch on the main stem. The only accessible figure is that given by Martius, and this exhibits a side-branch midway between the base and summit. Numerous shoots are, however, thrown out in this species near the base. Similar shoats in a specimen at Bombay are thrown out at 3 feet from the base. It is possible a shoot similar to that shown by Martius (when the terminal head of leaves is intact) may be only an extreme instance of the occur- rence of basal shoots ; or it may have been produced when the terminal bud was temporarily checked but not destroyed. There is, however, a third alternative, viz. that it is an instance of the displacement of a floaering-shoot bF a branch-shoot. The material for arriving at a satisfactory conclusion in regard to this species is incomplete.

The numerous instances recorded of branching in Pherzix syl- Best&, supported by good drawings and photographs, offer a, much better field for investigation. There are two very clearly traced causes for branching in this palm. The more general ,cause is probably injury to the terminal bud during the process of tapping for toddy. I n a large number of cases the branched specimens show marks of having been tapped. It is possible that where this ie severe, it has led to the destruction of the tree ; in others with a greater vitality it has only caused the loas

296 ME. D. YORRIB ON T E E PRODUCTION

of the crown with the subsequent growth of axillary or adven- titious buds. I n some instances branched specimens have been produced (as in the instance recorded by Mr. Storey at Oodey- pore) by the attack of insects. The branches 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 Sookchur may have been produced, (1) by the diaplacement 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 iu the wild date of Assam photographed by Mr. C. B. Clarke.

Amongst the Coryphem (which include both monocarpic and polycarpic palms), Nannorhops is apparently the only genus in which branched specimens appear. On exposed hills Nannorhops Ritchieana is stunted and stemless ; in valleys in good soil it produces stems 5 to 7 feet in height or more. in the frequent specimens observed by Dr. Aitchison in the Kurrum Valley 8 (if identical with the specimen in the Kew Museum) is very interesting. Here the branohes 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- circumstmces 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 intltance 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 Phmzix sylvestris.

In the Borassem are included two or more species of Hyphceae with habitually branched stems. I n Borassus JEabeklifornais branched stems are frequently produced. The branching in Borasstcs is caused in some cases by injury to the termical 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. Ohron. 8er. 111. ii. (188G), p. 652.

The branching ,

0 F F O B K E D A N I ) B B A X C H E D P A L M S . 297

branching of Drnccena Draco *. Numerous axillary buds have arisen in a whorl a t 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 candelabra1 branching system in one plane.

I n Cocoinem the onlp branched specitnens so far recorded belong to the single species Cocos nucllfera. I n the other genera of this tribe, for iiistance Elreis, are included palins 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, i . e. a single pair of branches surmounting the original stem. The cause of this simple forking may arise as shown i n Hyphcene, or be consequent upon injury to the terminal bud. Iu the latter case the terminal bud is destroyed by insects o r by some mecha- nical injury. Two axillary buds inserted immediately below (one on either side) mould 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 nuczyera may therefore have its origin in a cause entirely different from that seen in Hyphrene. An instance of the displacement of flowering- buds by branch-buds i n Cocos nuczyera 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 Hyphmne; it is occasiooal in certain other species of Hyphrene, and (arising from various causes) it is occasional also in certain palms belonging to the genera Areca, Rhopalostylis, Dictyosperma, Oreodoxa, Leopoldinia, Phcmix, Nunnorhops, Borassus, and Cocos. ( b ) I n 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 branchee. ( c ) In some cases branching in palms, as in Nunnorhops Ritchieana and Phcenix sylvestris, is caused by the replacement of flowering-buds by branch-buds. I n

* &acme &aco in Supp. Gad. Chron., Oct. 20, 1888, and Borasusfkcbelli-

LINN. J0URN.-BOTANY, VOL. XXIX. 1;

f m i s in Trans. Linn. SOC. xxvi. p. 661, pl. li. fig. 1, may be thus compared.

29r) MR. W. 13. HEMSLEY ON A BOTANICAL

such cases the branches are usually short, and are arranged alter- nately along the stem. The terminal bud is apparently neither injured nor destroyed. (d) Palms that are usually soboliferous (producing suckers at the base) are rarely branched at or near the apex. And, lastly, (e) no instance appears to be so far recorded of a monocarpic palm with s branched stem.

[Note added.-In n ‘‘ Narrative of an Expedition across Mel- ville Island, north of Port Darwin, Australis” (Trans. Roy. SOC. South Australia, vol. sv. p. 117), Mr. Maurice Holtze writes :- ‘I A botanical novelty which I would have liked very much to have ta,ken with me was found in the shape of a Liaistonia humiliis with four distinct branches.” This record is interesting as adding another genus to those already mentioned in which branched palms have been observed. This is apparently the only instance recorded of a branched palm in Australia.-D. M.]

Observations on a Botanical Collection made by Mr. A. E. Pratt in Western China, with Descriptions of some new Chinese Plants from various Collections. By W. BOTTING H.EMSLEY, F.B.S., A.L.S.

[Read 21st April, 1892.1

(PLATES lixIX.-XXXIII.) WHEN the publication of an enumeration of all the plants known from China was commenced in this Society’s Journal (vol. xxiii.) in 1886, we knew almost nothing (iu this country, a t least) of the botany of the Central and Western Provinces. It is true that Mr. Franchet had already published the first part of his ‘ Plantae Davidians ’ ; but that contained a comparatively small number of novelties and among them no new genera. Since then, owing to the stimulus given by the publication of the “ Enumeration,” very large collections have been made by Dr. A. Henry and others, chiefly in the provinces of Hupeh and Szechuen, and transmitted to Kew. The Reverend E. Faber ascended Mount Omei, an isolated elevation on the Min river, upwards of 11,000 feet high, and botanized it, the result being a large number of novelties, including about fifteen ferns. jeveral other gentlemen, chiefly missionaries and members of the consular service, have sent smaller collections of dried plants to Kew. But it is not my intention to enter into