Proceedings of the Linnean Society of London - University Library

LINNEAN SOCIETY OF LONDON. 57
Corifplia data iu the Georgetown Botanic Gardens, of similar age
and planting, were photographed : one had followed the normal
course, flowered, fruited, and died ;
the other, instead of flowering,
had developed a
1902-03, p. 41.)
secondary crown of leaves." (Proc. Linn. See.
The photographs now shown were in continuation of this.
Mr. AVaby writes:— "I am able now to give you the sequel to
the accouut of the Corypha data ^hich produced the abnormal
growth, and of which 1 sent you a photograph in the first stage.
i enclose two other photographs of two further stages ^\•hich I
promised you last May, and the details which I have gathered on
felling the palm. It was cut down on the 3rd of April, It was
impossible to obtain these details before cutting it down on
account of its great height. Its various dimensions are :
Height over all 68 feet.
Diameter at base 3 feet fi inches.
„ ,, middle 2 „ 3 ,,
,, ,, top 1 foot 10 inches, this at the
base of the secondary grow th.
" The secondary growth occupied a space of 4 feet. Height of
the spadix from the secondary growth, 20 feet ; 5 feet of this
being bare stem— the remaining 15 feet crowded Avith huge
branches, which numbered 29.
" The length of the lower branches was 9 feet G inches. All
leaves of the original stem had fallen long since, lea\ing it bare
for 44 feet. The leaves of the secondary growth remaining on,
quite dry.
'• In the 4 feet length of the secondary growth, arranged in
3 spirals, were 25 flowering branches springing from the axils of
the leaves, each one a separate spadix, with numerous spathes
attached at the base. Only 3 were perfect ; these were 12 feet
long, having a few small branches at the ends bearing fruit, the
others wqvq abortive, ranging from 2 to G feet in length, without
branches. The crop of fruit \\'eighed 1100 lbs. and numbered
over 51,000.
" The plant was just 25 years old. In over 30 years tropical
experience I have seen seven of these giants go through their life's
course, besides two of the ' Talipot,' and this is the only one which
has shown anything out of the ordinary course,"
Mr. C. B. Clarke remarked that though this palm grew in the
Calcutta Botanic Garden, he had never noticed this abnormal
behaviour, though branching in palms occurred in many species.
The General Secretary exhibited sundry rarities from the books
and manuscripts of Linnaeus, especially three which had been lost
sight of owing to their having been placed amongst the manuscripts
which remained unbound. Each exhibit was explained,
with the circumstances attending its production, and its special
interest indicated.
The President remarked that in spite of what had been done in
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