Gossypium Linn., Sp. Pl. 693. 1753. Gen. Pl. ed. 5. 309. 1754; Borss. in Blumea 14 (1): 119. 1966; Hutch., Gen. Fl. Pl., 2:548. 1967.
Annual herbs to shrubs or rarely small trees. Branches usually black punctate with oil glands. Leaves petiolate, usually 3-9 palmately lobed, sometimes entire. Flowers axillary, solitary. Flowers large, showy, pedicellate. Epicalyx segments 3, large, leafy, cordate, free or basally connate, persistent, entire to deeply incised. Calyx smaller than epicalyx, campanulate, truncate or 5-toothed, persistent, scattered oil glands present externally. Corolla usually yellow with a crimson centre; Staminal tube included, antheriferous throughout. Carpels 5; ovary 5 celled, each cell many ovuled; style unbranched, ± clavate; stigmas 5. Capsule, 3-5 celled, ovoid-subglobose. Seeds numerous, obovoid or angular, covered by lint or fuzz or both, sometimes nearly glabrous, cotyledons folded, black-punctate.
Distribution: A genus with 35 species (Fryxell in Taxon 18:585-591. 1969) distributed in tropical and subtropical regions. It is represented by 4 species in Pakistan.
