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Divide and rule

I saw this tree in Austria over the summer (see photos). The trunk seemed to...

Divide and rule
Divide and rule

I saw this tree in Austria over the summer (see photos). The trunk seemed to divide near the base and became almost three separate trees as it climbed higher. What species is this, and is it a normal occurrence? If so, what purpose does the division serve?

Alan Friel, Cork, Ireland

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