Gossypium hirsutum — upland cotton
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Facts
Upland cotton is believed to have originated in Central America, but has spread throughout the world as a result of cultivation. Hundreds of cultivars have been developed. Cotton is the basis of the modern textile industry, and the seeds produce an edible oil widely used in processed foods. It rarely visits New England, having been collected only in Massachsuetts.
Habitat
Anthropogenic (man-made or disturbed habitats)
New England distribution
Adapted from BONAP data
Native: indigenous.
Non-native: introduced (intentionally or unintentionally); has become naturalized.
County documented: documented to exist in the county by evidence (herbarium specimen, photograph). Also covers those considered historical (not seen in 20 years).
State documented: documented to exist in the state, but not documented to a county within the state. Also covers those considered historical (not seen in 20 years).
Note: when native and non-native populations both exist in a county, only native status is shown on the map.
Found this plant? Take a photo and post a sighting.
enlargeCharacteristics
- Habitat
- terrestrial
- New England state
- Massachusetts
- Flower petal color
- white
- Leaf type
- the leaves are simple (i.e., lobed or unlobed but not separated into leaflets)
- Leaf arrangement
- alternate: there is one leaf per node along the stem
- Leaf blade edges
- the edge of the leaf blade has lobes, or it has both teeth and lobes
- Flower symmetry
- there are two or more ways to evenly divide the flower (the flower is radially symmetrical)
- Number of sepals, petals or tepals
- there are five petals, sepals, or tepals in the flower
- Fusion of sepals and petals
- the petals or the sepals are fused into a cup or tube
- Stamen number
- 13 or more
- Fruit type (general)
- the fruit is dry and splits open when ripe
- Fruit length
- 30–50 mm
-
Clonal plantlets
- Bulbils
- the plant does not appear to have bulbils
- Bulblets replace flowers
- there are no bulblets where the flowers are located
-
Flowers
- Anther spurs
- the anthers do not have spurs on them
- Calyx symmetry
- there are two or more ways to evenly divide the calyx (the calyx is radially symmetrical)
- Carpels fused
- the carpels are fused to one another
- Cleistogamous flowers
- there are no cleistogamous flowers on the plan
- Corolla palate
- no
- Corona lobe length
- 0 mm
- Epicalyx
- the flower has an epicalyx
- Epicalyx number of parts
- 3
- Flower description
- the flower has a superior ovary, and lacks a hypanthium
- Flower petal color
- white
- Flower reproductive parts
- the flower has both pollen- and seed-producing parts
- Flower symmetry
- there are two or more ways to evenly divide the flower (the flower is radially symmetrical)
- Flowers sunken into stem
- no
- Form of style
- NA
- Fused stamen clusters
- there is one cluster of fused stamens
- Fusion of sepals and petals
- the petals or the sepals are fused into a cup or tube
- Horns in hoods (Asclepias)
- NA
- Hypanthium
- the flower does not have a hypanthium
- Inner tepals (Rumex)
- NA
- Nectar spur
- the flower has no nectar spurs
- Number of carpels
- 5
- Number of pistils
-
- 1
- 5
- Number of sepals, petals or tepals
- there are five petals, sepals, or tepals in the flower
- Number of styles
- 1
- Ovary position
- the ovary is above the point of petal and/or sepal attachment
- Perianth shape
-
- the perianth is cupuliform (cup-shaped)
- the perianth is funnelform (funnel-shaped)
- Petal and sepal arrangement
- the flower includes two cycles of petal- or sepal-like structures
- Petal and sepal colors
- white
- Petal appearance
- the petals are thin and delicate, and pigmented (colored other than green or brown)
- Petal folds or pleats
- the petals of the flower do not have folds or plaits
- Petal hairs (Viola)
- NA
- Petal length
- 50–70 mm
- Petal number
- 5
- Petal tips (Cuscuta)
- NA
- Reproductive system
- all the flowers have both carpels and stamens (synoecious)
- Scales inside corolla
- no
- Sepal and petal color
- the sepals are different from the petals
- Sepal appendages
- the sepals do not have appendages on them
- Sepal appendages (Oenothera)
- NA
- Sepal number
- 5
- Stamen attachment
- the stamens are attached at or near the bases of the petals or tepals
- Stamen number
- 13 or more
- Stamen position relative to petals
- NA
- Stamens fused
- the stamens are attached to one another at or near their bases
- Staminodes
- there are no staminodes on the flower
- Stigma position
- the stigmas are positioned at the tip of the style
- Style length
- At least 0 mm
- Style petal-like
- the styles are not petal-like
- Umbel flower reproductive parts
- NA
- Upper lip of bilabiate corolla
- NA
-
Fruits or seeds
- Achene relative orientation
- NA
- Achene shape
- NA
- Achene surface (Polygonum)
- NA
- Achene type
- NA
- Berry color
- NA
- Capsule color (Viola)
- NA
- Capsule splitting
-
- the capsule splits by five main valves, teeth or pores
- the capsule splits by four main valves, teeth or pores
- the capsule splits by three main valves, teeth or pores
- Fruit (pyxis) dehiscence
- NA
- Fruit features (Brassicaceae)
- NA
- Fruit length
- 30–50 mm
- Fruit locules
-
- five
- three
- Fruit shape
-
- the fruit is ellipsoid (widest in the middle and tapering to each end)
- the fruit is spherical
- Fruit type (general)
- the fruit is dry and splits open when ripe
- Fruit type (specific)
- the fruit is a capsule (splits along two or more seams, apical teeth or pores when dry, to release two or more seeds)
- Legumes (Fabaceae)
- NA
- Mericarp length
- 0 mm
- Mericarp segment shape (Desmodium)
- NA
- Other markings on berry
- NA
- Ovary stipe
- the ovary or fruit does not have a stipe
- Placenta arrangement
- the plant has axile placentation, in which the ovules are attached where the septa of a compound ovary are united, usually on the central axis, or to the septa themselves
- Rows of seeds in fruit (Brassicaceae)
- NA
- Schizocarpic fruit compression
- NA
- Schizocarpic fruit segments
- 0
- Seed surface
- the seed has hairs on it
- Septum in fruit (Brassicaceae)
- NA
- Wings on fruit
- the fruit does not have wings on it
- prickles on fruits
- the fruits do not have thorn-like defensive structures
-
Glands or sap
- Glands on leaf blade
- the leaf blades have glandular dots or scales
- Sap
- the sap is clear and watery
- Sap color
- the sap is clear
-
Growth form
- Growth form
- the plant is an herb (it has self-supporting stems)
- Lifespan
- the plant lives only a single year or less
- Parasitism
- the plant is not parasitic
- Plant color
- the leaves or young stems of the plant are green
- Spines on plant
- the plant has no spines
-
Leaves
- Bracteole number (Apiaceae)
- 0
- Bracts in plantain (Plantago)
- NA
- Final leaf segment length (compound lvs only)
- 0 mm
- Final leaf segment length to width ratio (compound lvs only)
- 0
- Hairs on underside of leaf
- the underside of the leaf is fuzzy or hairy
- Hairs on upper side of leaf
-
- the upper side of the leaf is fuzzy or hairy
- the upper side of the leaf is not hairy, or it has very few hairs
- Leaf arrangement
- alternate: there is one leaf per node along the stem
- Leaf blade base
- the leaf has a distinct leaf stalk (petiole)
- Leaf blade base shape
-
- the base of the leaf blade is cordate (heart-shaped, has rounded lobes at the base)
- the base of the leaf blade is truncate (ends abruptly in a more or less straight line as though cut off)
- Leaf blade edges
- the edge of the leaf blade has lobes, or it has both teeth and lobes
- Leaf blade hairs
- the leaf blade has simple hairs with no glands, and not tangled or wooly
- Leaf blade length
- 50–120 mm
- Leaf blade shape
- the leaf blade is ovate (widest below the middle and broadly tapering at both ends)
- Leaf blade surface colors
- the upper side of the leaf blade is relatively uniform in color
- Leaf blade width
- 50–120 mm
- Leaf duration
- the leaves drop off in winter (or they whither but persist on the plant)
- Leaf form
- the leaves are green, with an expanded blade and a leaf-like texture
- Leaf spines
- there are no spines on the leaf edges
- Leaf stalk
- the leaves have leaf stalks
- Leaf teeth and lobes
- the leaf has lobes that radiate from the base, somewhat like a hand
- Leaf tip
- the tip of the leaf blade is acuminate (tapers to a long, thin point)
- Leaf type
- the leaves are simple (i.e., lobed or unlobed but not separated into leaflets)
- Leaves per node
- there is one leaf per node along the stem
- Pinnately compound leaf type
- NA
- Specific leaf type
- the leaves are simple (i.e., lobed or unlobed but not separated into leaflets)
- Stipule features
- NA
- Stipules
- the plant has stipules
-
Place
- Habitat
- terrestrial
- New England state
- Massachusetts
- Specific habitat
- man-made or disturbed habitats
-
Stem, shoot, branch
- Branched tendrils
- NA
- Hair between stem nodes
- the stem has hairs between the nodes
- Hairs between stem nodes
- the hairs on the stem are plain, without glands or branches, and not tangled
- Leaves on stem
- there is at least one full leaf above the base of the flowering stem
- Plant height
- 60–150 cm
- Tendril origin
- NA
- Tendrils
- the plant does not have tendrils
Wetland status
Occurs only in non-wetlands. (Wetland indicator code: UPL)
In New England
Distribution
- Connecticut
- absent
- Maine
- absent
- Massachusetts
- present
- New Hampshire
- absent
- Rhode Island
- absent
- Vermont
- absent
Conservation status
Exact status definitions can vary from state to state. For details, please check with your state.
var. hirsutum
- Massachusetts
- not applicable (S-rank: SNA)
Subspecies and varieties
Our variety is Gossypium hirsutum L. var. hirsutum.
From Flora Novae Angliae dichotomous key
1. Gossypium hirsutum L. var. hirsutum E
upland cotton. Gossypium herbaceum, auct. non L.; G. hirsutum L. var. punctatum (K. Schum. & Thonn.) Roberty; G. purpurascens Poir. • MA. Waste areas.