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Gossypium hirsutum

L. (1763)

This name is accepted

Kingdom: Viridiplantae Phylum: Magnoliophyta Class/Clade: Eudicot-Rosids Order: Malvales Family: Malvaceae Genus: Gossypium

upland cotton

Description

Key Characters:

Growth Form: Upland cotton shrubs or annual subshrubs 1–2 m tall, usually stellate pubescent.

Stems:

Roots:

Leaves: Leaves simple. Alternate. Blades usually wider than long, 8–15 cm wide, cut angulately to about the middle into 3 or 5 lobes, the lobes broadly triangular to ovate, acute to acuminate. Surfaces glabrous or hairy. Margins lobed but otherwise entire. Midvein on lower surface with a basal gland. Petioles present. Stipules present 0.5–2 cm long.

Flowers: Flowers axillary, solitary or in sympodial inflorescence, pedicels 2–4 cm long, with 3 subterminal, unfringed nectaries; involucral bracts3, usually distinct and inserted above nectaries, ovate, usually 30–60 mm long, laciniate, the teeth 3–19, acute to acuminate, separated by basically acute sinuses. Flowers bisexual (perfect). Calyx truncate or 5-toothed, the tube 0.5–0.6 cm long, sepals connate, the lobes valvate in bud. Corolla actinomorphic to moderately zygomorphic, corolla of 5 petals, cream-colored to yellow, usually with a basal maroon spot and fading to pinkish purple, obovate, distinct from each other but adnate at base to staminal column, 3–5 cm long, convolute in bud. Stamens 5 to numerous, monadelphous, forming a staminal column, staminal column included, 5-toothed at apex; antheriferous for most of its length or only in upper 1/2; anthers monothecal. Pollen globose, echinate. Ovary superior, 3-5-celled, the carpels borne in a single whorl or rarely seemingly superposed whorls, placentation axile; ovules several per cell; style exceeding the staminal column, unbranched, clavate; stigma 3-5-lobed, decurrent.

Fruit: Loculicidally dehiscent; usually glabrous capsules; 3–5–celled; globose to broadly ovoid; beaked; 2.5–3.5 cm long; the surface smooth. Seeds 5–11 per cell; lint copious; white to reddish brown; seeds turbinate; with or without endosperm.

Ploidy: 2n = 26; 36; 38; 39; 52

Habitat: Sparingly naturalized.

Elevation Range:

Historical Distribution

Images

Uses and Culture

USES

Ethnobotanical Images

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Natural History

Statewide Status

Naturalized

Island Status

O'ahu Naturalized
Maui Naturalized

Dispersal Agents

Water/Ocean
Wind
Birds

Pollinators

Notes

  • Although cultivated in Hawai'i at least during this century, the first naturalized collection was made in 1956.
  • Description digitized by Ellena Ruiz

Bibliography

Name Published In: Sp. Pl. ed. 2: 975 (1763)

Other References

Wagner et al. 1990:876 (O); Starr et al. 2002:21 (EM)

Occurrences

SNo. Scientific Name Locality Habitat Basis of Record Description Recorded By Record Number Island Source Date
1 Gossypium hirsutum west Maui Island, between Honokohau and Mokolea Point UNKNOWN . Coordinates do not match to country in source data. Consortium of Pacific Northwest Herbaria Vladimir J. Krajina V183440 Maui HAPI 1/31/1962
2 Gossypium hirsutum Honolulu; Kalihi Valley; Bishop Estate Nursery Rare for years. Preserved_Specimen 2-4 m. Height. Judd Jr., A.F. 165 Oahu BISH 1928-10-16
3 Gossypium hirsutum Hapuaa Place, off Manoa Rd., Honolulu Preserved_Specimen Shrub 4' tall. Flowers pale yellow. Lint brown. Nagata, K.M. 4462 Oahu BISH 1998-02-01
4 Gossypium hirsutum Waihale Products- Waimanalo Cultivated in nursery. Preserved_Specimen 2 m tall shrub with dark rose tips blending to a light cream center. OED 2007100502 Oahu BISH 2007-10-05
5 Gossypium hirsutum East Maui, Makawao District, La Perouse A few scattered patches in naio (Myoporum) grove. Preserved_Specimen Shrub 1-2 m tall; flowers yellow; fruits with fluffy white hairs inside. Starr, F. 4151 Maui BISH 2000-04-15
6 Gossypium hirsutum Along Liliuokalani Churchyard wall, Haleiwa Preserved_Specimen 4-6 ft. high; flowers very pale yellow. Degener, O. 24074 Oahu BISH 1956-04-11
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