STANDLEY — TREES AND SHRUBS OF MEXICO. 783 



tion frequently the cotton garments worn by the natives, who showed great 

 skill in their manufacture. Cotton is now one of the most valuable of cultivated 

 crops in Mexico. 



The general Spanish word for cotton is " algod6n." This is frequently modi- 

 fied by various varietal names. The name for the plant is " algodonero." The 

 following additional names are reported: " Taman " (Yucatan, Maya); 

 "xurata" (MichoacSn) ; " xchup " (Yucatan, Maya); *' cuinim " (Huastec) ; 

 "ichcatl" (Nahuatl) ; " tfldy," " dehti " (Otomf, Buelna) ; " pishm " (cotton), 

 " pishten-kiup " (the plant), " pishten-puih " (the flower), " pishten " (cotton) 

 (Mixe, Belmar). 



The root bark of cultivated cotton is official in the U. S. Pharmacopoeia. 

 It has emmenagogue properties and is sometimes employed to facilitate parturi- 

 tion, but at present it is little used. By the slaves of the South in former days 

 it was employed as a means of producing abortion. The plant is said to 

 be used in Mexico for the same purposes, an infusion of the leaves and flowers 

 is employed as a gargle for sore throat, and an infusion of the roasted seeds for 

 dysentery and similar affections. 



Besides the fiber obtained from the cotton plant, a valuable product is found 

 in the seeds. These yield an oil which is applied to a wide variety of uses, 

 and the residue left after the extraction of oil is an important source of 

 fertilizer and of food for stock. 



Bractlets entire, united below 1. G. gossypioides. 



Bractlets toothed or lobed or, if entire (in one species), free. 



Seeds covered with very short and close hairs or nearly glabrous, never 

 with long wool. Bractlets free. 



Bractlets incised; leaves entire, stellate-velutinous 2. G. davidsonii. 



Bractlets entire ; leaves mostly lobed, glabrous or nearly so. 



3. G. harknessii. 

 Seeds with long loose wool, sometimes also with a close covering of short 

 hairs. 

 Seeds covered with long, loose, easily detachable hairs, without a covering 



of short hairs. Leaves glabrous or nearly so 4. G. barbadense. 



Seeds with a double coat, consisting partly of short matted hairs and 

 partly of long, not easily detachable hairs. 

 Leaves entire, or deeply lobed ( three- fourths the distance to the base or 

 more), the lobes mostly narrowly oblong and often constricted below; 

 petals usually not purple on the claws. 



Leaves all entire . 5. G. lanceolatum. 



Leaves 3 or 5-lobed. 



Flowers about 3 cm. long 6. G. palmerii. 



Flowers about 6 cm. long. 

 Leaves subcordate at base; fuzz of the seeds brown 



7. G. schottii. 

 Leaves deeply cordate at base ; fuzz of seeds usually greenish. 



8. G. microcarpum. 

 Leaves 3 to 7-lobed, the lobes usually extending less than halfway to 

 base, broad, not constricted below ; petals usually purple on the 

 claws. 



Leaves glabrous, with 3 to 7 radiating lobes 9. G. mexicanum. 



Leaves pilose, usually with 3 ascending lobes 10. G. hirsutum. 



1. Gossypium gossypioides (Ulbrich) Standi. 

 Sclera gossypioides Ulbrich, Verb. Bot. Ver. Brand. 55: 51. 1913. 

 Oaxaca ; type from San Bartolo Yautepec. 



