GossYPiUM.] MALVACEM. 95 



of 6r. herhaceiim.* G. herbaceumia regarded by Dr. Masters as the source 

 of the bulk of the cultivated cottons of India. G, harhadense includes the 

 American series of cottons, and Q. arhoreum is the Tree-cotton, a native 

 of Tropical Africa, 



Professor Todaro of Palermo, after devoting many years to the study of 

 cotton plants from all parts of the world, published his illustrated mono- 

 graph of the genus (Eome and Palermo 1877-78). In this work he ad- 

 mitted no less than 54 species, reckoning as species such forms, the 

 characters of which are preserved by cultivation. The results, however, 

 of his researches have helped materially to unravel somcidifELcult problems 

 regarding the origin and development of numerous varieties and hybrids 

 now existing in India. A few of theimore important conclusions arrived 

 at in regard to the cultivated cottons of India may be briefly summed up 

 as follows : 



(1) Typical G. herhaceum does not occur in India. 



(2) Nearly all the commercial cottons of India are hybrids. 



(3) Prom G. Wightianum have originated some of the most valuable 

 kinds grown in Western and Southern India. 



(4) G. neglectum constitutes the bulk of the cottons cultivated in the 

 Eastern and Northern parts of India. 



Dr. Watt, in his excellent article on Gossypium, included in Vol. IV 

 of his Dictionary, has given a very complete account of the history and 

 literature of Indian cotton plants ; and in his classification he has adopted 

 many of Todaro' s conclusions regarding them. 



The following is a brief account of the different kinds of cotton grown 

 within the area of the Upper Gangetic Plain. 



!• G. artooreum, Linn. 8p. PI. 693 ; Roxb. FL Ind. Hi, 183; Boyle 111. 

 9S, t. 23, /. 2 ; F. B. I. i, 347 ; Todaro Rel. Cult. Cot. 176, t. I. DQ. L'Orig. 

 PI. Cult. 325; WattE. D. G- nigrum, Buch.-Ham.; W. ^ A. Prod. 

 55. G. religiosum, B. Sf 0. Bomb, Fl. 8upx>l- S (not of Ecxb.). Vern. 

 Narma^ deo'liafas. 



Arborescent. Leaves 5-7-lobed, with an extra toofch'in the left-side sinus 

 (or on both sides) of the central lobe, subglabrous ; lobes bristle- tipped. 

 Inflorescence axillary, usually l-flowered- Flowers small, reddish-purple. 

 Bracteoles with rounded ears at the base, toothed or subentire at the 

 apex. Ovary rounded. Seeds with greyish -black velvet under the floss . 



Found in gardens and near temples throughout India, hardly ever as a 

 field-crop, unless in a state of hybridization. 

 2. G. neglectum, Todaro Oss. Cot. 95 {sp.); Rel. Cult. Cot. 169 (sp.) ; 



WO'lt E.D. G. herbaceum, (Var. China cotton) Roxb. Fl. Ind. Hi, 185 ; 



* Dr. Watt, however, considers it as more likely to represent an acclimatized 

 form of G. harhadense, or one of the numerous hybrids between that species and 

 Q. herhaceum, possessing the characteristic leaves of the latter and the deeply 

 laciniate bracts, and naked seeds of the former. Todaro reduces it to Q. herhaceum 

 (proper) . 



