Gossypium hirsutum L.

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Gossypium hirsutum

Photo: Bart Wursten
Lower slopes of Mt Gorongosa, Mozambique

Gossypium hirsutum

Photo: Bart Wursten
Lower slopes of Mt Gorongosa, Mozambique

Gossypium hirsutum

Photo: Bart Wursten
Lower slopes of Mt Gorongosa, Mozambique

Gossypium hirsutum

Photo: Bart Wursten
Lower slopes of Mt Gorongosa, Mozambique

Gossypium hirsutum

Photo: Bart Wursten
Lower slopes of Mt Gorongosa, Mozambique

Gossypium hirsutum

Photo: Bart Wursten
Lower slopes of Mt Gorongosa, Mozambique

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Species details: Click on each item to see an explanation of that item (Note: opens a new window)

Synonyms:
Common names: Cotton (English) Mudonje (Shona) Mushinda (Shona) Utshinda (Ndebele)
Description: Annual or short-lived perennial shrublet up to 1.5m tall. Leaves almost round in outline, 3-5-lobed to about halfway. Flowers in 1-several flowered clusters, cream to pale yellow, fading pink, with or without dark centre. Epicalyx of 3 large leaf-like bracts. Fruit a round capsule 2-4 cm in diameter, splitting to release the seeds covered in dense white cotton wool.
Notes: Note: commonly cultivated in Zimbabwe and occasionally escaping.
Derivation of specific name: hirsutum: covered with long, moderately stiff and not interwoven hairs; hirsute
Flowering time:Feb - May
Worldwide distribution: Native to Central America
Growth form(s):
Insects associated with this species: Utetheisa pulchella (Food plant)
Egybolis vaillantina (Food plant)
Spot characters: Display spot characters for this species
Image last updated: Sunday 31 January 2010
Literature:

Mapaura, A. & Timberlake, J. (eds) (2004). A checklist of Zimbabwean vascular plants Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 33 Sabonet, Pretoria and Harare Page 60.

Other sources of information about Gossypium hirsutum:

Our websites:

Flora of Mozambique: Gossypium hirsutum
Flora of Mozambique: cultivated Gossypium hirsutum
Flora of Zimbabwe: Gossypium hirsutum

External websites:

African Plants: A Photo Guide (Senckenberg): Gossypium hirsutum
African Plant Database: Gossypium hirsutum
BHL (Biodiversity Heritage Library): Gossypium hirsutum
EOL (Encyclopedia of Life): Gossypium hirsutum
GBIF (Global Biodiversity Information Facility): Gossypium hirsutum
Google: Web - Images - Scholar
iNaturalist: Gossypium hirsutum
IPNI (International Plant Names Index): Gossypium hirsutum
JSTOR Plant Science: Gossypium hirsutum
Mansfeld World Database of Agricultural and Horticultural Crops: Gossypium hirsutum
Plants of the World Online: Gossypium hirsutum
Tropicos: Gossypium hirsutum
Wikipedia: Gossypium hirsutum


Copyright: Mark Hyde, Bart Wursten, Petra Ballings and Meg Coates Palgrave, 2002-24

Hyde, M.A., Wursten, B.T., Ballings, P. & Coates Palgrave, M. (2024). Flora of Zimbabwe: Cultivated Plants: Species information: Gossypium hirsutum.
https://www.zimbabweflora.co.zw/cult/species.php?species_id=139760, retrieved 19 March 2024

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