411 THE STRUCTURE OF ECONOMIC PLANTS 



stems are erect or somewhat branching, and may attain a height 

 of 1 to 6 feet. (Fig. 109.) In the native, tropical home of cotton, 

 some of the tree-cottons reach a height of 13 to lo feet. The 







Fig. Z09. Cotton plant showing branching and inflorescence. (Photograph by Harrold.) 





leaves are petiolate, roughly cordate, three to nine lobed, and 

 usually palmately veined; but there are great differences in size, 

 shape, texture, and degree of pubescence. The basal stipules are 

 for the most part deciduous. The plants are conspicuously glan- 

 dular, large glands occurring on the abaxial surface of the leaves, on 



