This branching is repeated and gives older individuals a very peculiar shape. Although they don't have wood, dragon trees have a secondary thickening meristem and can become quite large and tall, like this one seen 2 years ago in the Domaine du Rayol gardens. 3/3

Dragon trees (Dracaena) first have an unbranched trunk. After the first flowering the apical part dies and lateral buds form the first branches (sympodial branching). This is what was hidden under the leaves! 2/3

@bomengidsnl yes the photo on the left is the inner part. The one on the right shows how the >50 most external rings look like so it started growing slowly at some point and never stopped until it died. Other fossil woods found with it don't show this, so it's not due to some general environmental factor.