oti the Ilortus Malabaricus, Part I. 493 



of the roots, all being liable to great variation in plants produced 

 from the same seed: the pubescence is however the best criterion 

 of the three, and may serve at least to distinguish varieties. 



The variety of appearance produced by cultivation on cotton 

 did not altogether escape the notice of Rumphius, as may be 

 seen (Herb.Amb. iv. 34.), where he describes the place of growth, 

 and in the paragraph (36) beginning " sacerdotes Egyptii." But 

 when he described his Gossypium latifolium as a distinct species, 

 which is merely the Gossypium reared into a tree by planting it 

 in a corner, as I have mentioned, he seems to have neglected his 

 former observations ; yet he acknowledges that his Gossypium 

 latifolium is the same with the Kudu Pariti, although no two va- 

 rieties resemble each other less than the figures in the two au- 

 thors. I am however convinced that he is here right ; and so 

 far as I saw in the province of Malabar, the only manner in 

 which cotton was raised by the natives, was as the little trees 

 reared in corners of gardens ; it was not cultivated in fields for 

 sale. Neither do I blame Linnaeus for joining with these two 

 arborescent varieties the Gossypium herbaceum, Sec. of Plukenet 

 (Aim. 172. Phyt. 1. 188. /. 3.) ; although this, having been treated 

 in the usual manner by sowing in a field, was a herb and not a 

 tree. 



If the Gossypiums are therefore to be divided into species, 

 we must altogether neglect the divisions of modern botanists, 

 derived chiefly from circumstances which I am persuaded are 

 accidental, and return to the characters on which C Bauhin 

 and the botanists of other days chiefly relied ; and I would pro- 

 pose three species, adding one to the two originally marked out 

 by Linnaeus, in reality, I am persuaded, on the characters of the 

 older botanists, although Linnaeus assumed others less satisfac- 

 tory, the adopting their characters having been contrary to the 

 rules which he thought necessary to propose. 



vol. xiii. 3 s Specie* 



