  We consider the design of adaptive data structures for searching elements of
a tree-structured space. We use a natural generalization of the rotation-based
online binary search tree model in which the underlying search space is the set
of vertices of a tree. This model is based on a simple structure for
decomposing graphs, previously known under several names including elimination
trees, vertex rankings, and tubings. The model is equivalent to the classical
binary search tree model exactly when the underlying tree is a path. We
describe an online $O(\log \log n)$-competitive search tree data structure in
this model, matching the best known competitive ratio of binary search trees.
Our method is inspired by Tango trees, an online binary search tree algorithm,
but critically needs several new notions including one which we call
Steiner-closed search trees, which may be of independent interest. Moreover our
technique is based on a novel use of two levels of decomposition, first from
search space to a set of Steiner-closed trees, and secondly from these trees
into paths.
