Enumeration of multi-rooted plane trees

Abstract

We give closed form expressions for the numbers of multi-rooted plane trees with specified degrees of root vertices. This results in an infinite number of integer sequences some of which are known to have an alternative interpretation. We also propose recursion relations for numbers of such trees as well as for the corresponding generating functions. Explicit expressions for the generating functions corresponding to plane trees having two and three roots are derived. As a by-product, we obtain a new binomial identity and a conjecture relating hypergeometric functions.