LEAKE AND RAM PRASAD 121 



free bracteoles, and his section IV as naked-seeded cottons with the 

 bracteoles free or nearly so. We have recently been in a position 

 to grow and examine a series of cottons from China and among 

 these occur a series of forms which are undoubtedly related to the 

 members forming the author's section II, but the seeds of which 

 are quite naked (21). 



From the limited number of general observations we have 

 been in a position to make, it would appear that among the culti- 

 vated forms the condition of the bracts is a character of consider- 

 able systematic importance. The two groups so separated agree in 

 the further point of their geographical distribution. The origin of 

 most of the cultivated forms is, it is true, unknown or speculative ; 

 moreover the numerous efforts to acchmatise exotic forms in various 

 regions of the globe have led to extensive intermingling of types. 

 Nevertheless the group of plants with united bracteoles appear to be 

 typical of the Old World, while that of plants with free bracteoles is 

 similarly typical of the New World, though the natural limits of 

 this group are not so well defined as those of the latter. 



The various types used in the course of these earlier stages of 

 these investigations have been given in a previous publication by 

 one of us (22). As has been there stated, the difficulty of culti- 

 vating many, and especially the monopodial, types renders a com- 

 plete survey of the genus at present impossible. 



The list of types there given may be here (j noted. 



Monopodial Tt/pes. 



Perennial ; secondary branches ascending sharply at an acute 

 angle. Leaf factor is less than 2 ; plant almost glabrous. Brac- 

 teoles small, triangular ; margin entire or dentate. Corolla yellow. 

 (Plate I). 



This plant is the G. obtusifolium-Roxhurgh Flora Indira of 

 Gammie (15) and Watt (32). The various forms to which the spe- 

 cific name obtusifolium has been given at different times have 

 been dealt with by Burkill (5) . . . . • • Type 1 . 



Perennial ; with secondary branches spreading. Leaf witli 

 a factor less than 2. Stem and leaves densely covered with short 



