India, Sept. 29 -- A coconut palm, tucked away in a corner of the Saraswati Sadan Housing Society in Vile Parle East has become the talk of the town among botanists. Its aerial roots, typically just above the soil, are at a six feet height on the plant's trunk.

Botanist Chandrakand Lattoo explained that coconut palm trees develop aerial roots primarily as a stabilising mechanism, just above the ground, aiding the slender palm to withstand the strong gusts of wind. Unlike aerial roots seen in other plants, like the epiphytic orchids, these don't help the plant absorb moisture or nutrients from the air. However, the Saraswati Sadan coconut palm has left scientists puzzled, with several unanswered questions.

In his many years as a botanist...