THE GENUS GOSSYPIUM 53 



staminal tube (thus simulating a cohesion of the petals) and then inserted 

 hypogynously on the receptacle. Stamens many, connate by their filaments 

 into a tube (more or less monadelphous) that completely surrounds the 

 pistil, but is often divided at the top into bundles of anthers that are 

 alternate or opposite to the calyx teeth ; anthers reniform, 1-celled, often 

 mature before the flower opens ; pollen-grains various in size, spherical 

 but mostly echinulate; anthers placed in various positions on the tube, 

 at times on the very apex, or a little below the apex, or near the middle 

 or throughout its length. Ovary of several free or connate carpels, whorled 

 around a central axis, often attenuated into a central column ; style ter- 

 minal, united below, free above, bearing the stigmas, that usually correspond 

 in number with the carpels ; ovules one or more, inserted on the ventral 

 angle of the carpel, campylotropous or semi-anatropous, sometimes ascend- 

 ing or horizontal with a superior (ventral) raphe, or pendulous with a 

 dorsal raphe. Fruit dry, dehiscent, septicidally splitting into cocci which 

 are usually indehiscent, or loculicidally exposing 3-5 septiferous valves, 

 very rarely a fleshy berry. Seeds reniform, with firm or crustaceous testa, 

 often wrinkled and sometimes hairy (Gossypium, Fugosia, Hibiscus, 

 Thespesia) ; albumen scanty, mucilaginous; embryo curved; cotyledons 

 foliaceous, folded on each other and in Gossypium possessed of imperfectly 

 formed glands, the true gland-dots appearing in the first leaves. 



The Order is referred by Bentham and Hooker ('Gen. PL' i., 

 196-9) to four Tribes, as follows : 



1. Malveae. Staminal column antheriferous to the top ; styles as many Tribes of 

 as the cells ; carpels separating from the axis ; cotyledons foliaceous, folded Malvaceae, 

 or contorted Althcea, Malva, Malvastrum, Sida, Kydia, Abwtilon, &c. &c. 



2. Ureneae. Staminal column truncate or toothed, anthers on its outer 

 surface ; style branches 10, carpels 5, separating from the axis ; cotyledons 

 as in Malvece Urena, Pavonia, Malvaviscus, &c. 



3. Hibisceae. Staminal column as in Urenece ; styles as many as the 

 cells ; carpels loculicidal, persistent ; cotyledons of Malvece Hibiscns, 

 Lagunaria, Fugosia (Cienfuegosia), Thespesia, Thurberia, Gossypium, &c. 



4. Bombacese. Staminal column 5-8 cleft at the top or rarely to the 

 base, more rarely entire ; anthers free, reniform or cells adnate, globose, 

 linear, oblong or contorted; style entire or with as many branches as 

 ovarian cells ; capsule loculicidal or indehiscent, carpels usually persistent, 

 cotyledons variable. Trees Adansonia, Bombax, Eriodendron, Durio, &c. 



GOSSYPIUM, Linn., Gen. n. 845. 



The plants placed by me under this genus necessitate a slightly 

 more comprehensive interpretation of the assemblage than that ordi- 

 narily accepted. Eecent research has greatly extended our know- 

 ledge of the genus and multiplied tbe number of species. This 

 almost of necessity involves departures from previous conceptions. 

 It is possible, however, that some forms may have to be excluded 

 and a rearrangement attempted with the following four genera 



