BRIEPFER-ARTICELES 
AN ABNORMAL BRACT-MODIFICATION IN COTTON 
(WITH ONE FIGURE) 
At Thompson’s Mills, northern Georgia, during the season of 1909, 
the writer’s attention was called to an exceedingly interesting modification 
in one of the involucral bracts of upland cotton. This is shown natural 
size in the accompanying photograph. A portion of this particular mem- 
ber of the involucre retains the usual features of a normal bract, while the 
rest has become a typical leaf in shape. A more perfect combination of 
bract and leaf could hardly be expected. The bractlike portion appears 
to replace a single lobe of the leaf. 
Aberrant variations of this nature are not readily explained. The 
earlier morphologists were wont to regard them too seriously as reversionary 
variations which really brought to 
light particular features of ancient 
progenitors. In many instances it 
would appear that considerable skill 
obtained in the invention of fanciful 
conceptions of evolutionary develop- 
ments. Modern botanists, however, 
do not find it quite as convenient to 
explain many variations in this way. 
The involucral bracts of cotton 
may have originated from typical 
foliage leaves which have become 
reduced by evolutionary processes, 
but the best of our evidence is exceed- 
ingly incomplete. The modification 
here shown is an interesting fact of 
variation, but whether or not it expresses any fact of evolutionary signifi- 
cance can be only roughly surmised. Any study of plants or animals 
reveals striking variations in all characters, and many are as incompre- 
hensible in their origin or significance as life itself. Irregular variations, 
however, deserve to be carefully preserved. Although, taken singly, they 
may not appear very significant, large numbers may be more productive 
of significant conclusions.—H. A. ALLARD, Bureau of Plant Industry, 
Department of A griculture, Washington, D.C. 
303] [Botanical Gazette, vol. 49 
