cotton, growing on the same price of ground, barely weighed 25, and large pods of Bourbon
under 50 grains. The proportion of wool to seed in the American was about 30 per
cent., in the others from 20 to 25—to which may be added, as a further recommendation that
the former produced ripe pods in less than three months from the time of sowing!
The most advantageous time for sowing this kind is, I believe, towards the end of the
rains in December, or with the first of those in April and May, when they happen to fall freely.
Should the following dry season be protracted, of course watering would greatly augment the
crop. My Egyptian (Uplands) cotton was not sown until late in the season, it grew well and
produced a very abundant crop, the pods being by far the largest I had seen, but nearly the
whole was lost owing to the setting in of the heavy October rains before they were quite ripe.
A second, and abundant, but in all other respects much inferior crop was subsequently produced,
the bushes being apparently much injured by the strong blighting north winds of
January and February, from which they never recovered. I have since cut them down nearly
•to the ground and manured them, in the expectation of restoring them to vigour, but owing to
the hot dry weather, and artificial watering being purposely withheld, hitherto with but partial
success, a few only of the bushes having grown strongly, the others continue puny; those
however that have shot vigorously promise a very abundant crop, the seed from which will of
course be subjected to farther trials.
The Gossypium acuminatum as observed above seems to be very extensively distributed
since it is brought to India under the various names of Pernambuco, Peruvian, and Bahea cotton*
and is spoken of in the Agri-Horticultural Society’s transactions under the name of Ava
-cotton, and lastly is by Dr. Roxburgh, “ said to be a native of the mountains to the north.and
westward of Bengal,” but he adds “ I do not find this species is ever cultivated.” From
this last remark we may infer it is not a native of India, but has accidentally found its wav
here, and up to the time that Roxburgh wrote, had not become sufficiently known, for its value
to be justly appreciated. However as Roxburgh’s information regarding its native -country
may be correct, and as his name is expressive of a Botanical character rather than of a native
country to which the species is not limited, I have preferred adopting it. This is a
very strong growing plant, and as it bears apparently without injury the high temperature
of this coast, it is probable, it merits, and will receive, more attention than has hitherto
been extended to it. In the light sandy soils of the coast it seems ,to thrive remarkably well
and is very productive.
Respecting the indigenous species, (G . herbaceum) 'it is unnecessary to dilate that one
being already so well known in India, and indeed over all the warmer portions of the old world
from the south of Europe, the northern limit of its cultivation, through the whole of the torrid*
zone, and as being the species first and best known to mankind generally.
R emarks on G enera and S pecies. In this as in most very natural orders considerable
difficulty is experienced in finding good generic characters, by which to distinguish groups
of species which evidently ought to be kept distinct from each other, but the difficulty of
discriminating among the species and varieties is often much greater, and has been productive
of the usual result, that of causing an excessive multiplication of species, by inducing
Botanists, working with imperfect materials, in numerous instances, to raise mere varieties
to the rank of species. Gossypium affords a striking example of this fact in a cultivated
genus : those of Sida and Abutilon are scarcely less remarkable among the
uncultivated ones. Some species of each are common to the tropical regions of both the
old and new world, and have in nearly all such cases received distinct names according as they
happen to come from the one or other. Did the multiplication stop there, we would have little
to complain of, as the geographical character would of itself, in the absence of botanical ones
serve to distinguish them, and prevent any serious confusion, but unfortunately it does*
not ; out Abutilon indicum for example has in India, in my opinion, on most inadequate
grounds, been split into two, viz. A. indicum and A. asialicum, and has besides at
different times received a variety of other names, such as Sida populifolia, Sida Eteromischos
Sida Beloere, &c. but under how many more names it figures in tropical America and*
her islands is not easy to discover. ,
In the discrimination of the genera of Malvacece, reference is principally had to the
involucrum and fruit, and generally these, combined with habit, afford very permanent generic
characters : by the mvolucrmn for example Malm and Althea are principally distinguished
The principal distinguishing characters between Hibiscus and Abelmoschus appertain to
the calyx, in the former its segments are distinct, while in the latter they continue to
adhere, presenting the form usually called spathaceous, that is, splitting along one side
only, like a spathe. The carpels being many or few seeded, afford subsidiary characters
but that taken from the calyx is essentially the distinguishing one, as many species of
Hibiscus have carpels with a plurality of seeds, but few, if any, have the spathaceous calyx
Upon the whole however, I think there is reason to doubt the propriety of breaking down even
very large genera on such grounds. Abutilon and Sida, which want the involucrum and were
formerly united, have on somewhat similar, but much better grounds, been separated In
Abutilon the carpels are membranaeious or bladdery, and contain several seeds • in Sida’they
are 1-seeded, usually conacious, and furnished at the apex with a double beak Thespesia
is separated from Hibiscus on account of its truncated undivided calyx, resembling (he cud of
an acorn, and Pantium on account of its imperfectly 10-celled capsule, caused by the bending
inwards or the margins of the valves. 5
It seems questionable whether it is judicious to take leading generic characters from the
involucrum, Linmeus objected to the principle, and laid it down as a rule, that they ought
always to be taken from the fructification only, by which he meant .-the calyx and organs
embraced by it.; but in the case of the Malm se y nearly all of which are referable to his class
and order Monadelphia polyandna, and also m Umbelliferce, he found it convenient to deDart
from his own rule and got over the difficulty .by calling the involucrum an external calyx
Dr. Zenker has, (Plant* Indie*) in his genus Hymenocalyx, our Abelmoschus angulosus,
carried this departure from the Lmnean rule to excess, by founding a genus on the circumstance
of the involucrum as well as the calyx occasionally splitting spathaceously, for with that
exception which I have since ascertained is not constant, there is absolutely no difference
between that genus and Abelmoschus, and ought not in my opinion, to be retained
The spathaceous involucrum of that species which completely conceals the calyx led Mr
Arnott and myself into a curious error, by inducing the belief that it was the calyx, and that
the involucrum was so early caducous that we had no opportunity of describing it
The .genus Myctiocarpus which associates with, Sida In wanting .the’ involucrum
and in having 1-seeded carpels, I ventured to -separate on account of its definite stamens
which had previously caused it to be removed from the order and referred to Bytlneriacece.
Ihe curiously reticulated testa of its seed affords, another good character, as being one which I
other species of the order. The genus Decaschistia is re-
maikable for its 10-celled and 10-valved, capsule, with a solitary.seed in each cell. For further
illustrations of the several genera of this rather large and complex.order, I must refer to my
BBm B I the aI^ of wh.lch’ S B 1 be ab>e to afford most ample illustrations of the genera
ot all the larger and more important orders to be treated of in the course of this work. 8
The following additions have been recently made to the order.
Urena repanda—Of this little known -species I
have at length got specimens, from Goomsoor (un-
tortunately rather imperfect,) through the kindness of
W. G. Davidson, Esq. I find itdoes not correspond very
accurately with the generic character o f Urena: neither
does the specimen agree well with the character of the
species, but as the species of this genus are apt to vary
considerably in their forms I have no doubt o f its being
the same plant, as it agrees in one or two important
points. These peculiarities lead to the suspicion that it
ought to be removed from the genus, though in habit
it associates very closely. The most prominent fear
np ftf °* ^ s^ncti° n between this and the other species
orthe genus consists in its having both ‘ the involucel
.and calyx campanulate, 5-cleft, or rather toothed at the
?pex, and completely enclosing the carpels, which,
in place of being globose and armed all over with
ooKed prickles, as in the Test of the genus, are
only slightly convex exteriorly, and nearly triangular.
Thewery distinct form and large size, as compared
with the rest of the genus, of the involucel and
calyx, added to the different shape, and glabrous exterior
of the carpels, lead to the.supposition that it ought
to form a separate genus. The habit however, and the
peculiar reticulation of the leaves, which coincide exactly
with some other species of Urena, induce me for
the present to leave it as a doubtful member of that
genus, the more so as my specimens are in fruit
only. The leaves in them are nearly round, slightly
acuminated at the.point, cordate at the base, repandlv
dentate on the margin, and pubescent on both sides
^ j a ?*n^ e beneath ; the flowers numerous, the
peduncles axillary several flowered, and from the abortion
o f the leaves, racemose towards the ends of
the branches.
Though my specimens are imperfect, yet as this
plant is very little known, I shall endeavour to have it
figured m my leones;