Gossypium hirsutum L., Malvaceae

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Present on Pacific Islands?  yes

Primarily a threat at high elevations?  no

Risk assessment results:  High risk, score: 9 (Go to the risk assessment)

Other Latin names:  Gossypium punctatum Schumach.; Gossypium religiosum L.; Gossypium taitense Parl.

Common name(s): [more details]

Chamorro: algodon, atgodon

Chinese: gao di mian, lu di mian, mei zhou mian

English: American cotton, American upland cotton, Bourbon cotton, Mexican cotton, cotton, upland cotton

Fijian: vauvau, vauvau ni vavalangi

French: coton velu, cotonnier américain, cotonnier d'altitude, cotonnier hirsute

Maori (Cook Islands): vavai

Samoan: vavae

Spanish: algodón, algodonero americano

Tahitian: vavai

Tongan: vavae

Habit:  shrub

Description:  "Shrubs or annual subshrubs 1-2 m tall, usually stellate pubescent.  Leaf 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, midvein on lower surface with a basal gland, stipules 0.5-2 cm long.  Flowers solitary or in sympodial inflorescences, pedicels 2-4 cm long, with 3 subterminal, unfringed nectaries; involucral bracts ovate, usually 30-60 mm long, laciniate, the teeth 3-19, acute to acuminate, separated by basically acute sinuses; calyx truncate or 5-toothed, the tube 0.5-0.6 cm long; petals cream-colored to yellow, usually with a basal maroon spot and fading to pinkish purple, 3-5 cm long.  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"  (Wagner et al., 1999; p. 876).

Habitat/ecology:  In Fiji (native), "occurs sparingly (or perhaps frequently in a few isolated localities) at elevations from near sea level to about 30 m"  (Smith, 1981; p. 429).

Propagation:  Seed

Native range:  "Native to the tropical and subtropical Americas, the Caribbean, and questionably some Pacific islands, but widespread in cultivation"  (Wagner et al., 1999; p. 876).  "Presumably indigenous in the West Indies and Central America and introduced into Africa and thence into most tropical Old World areas in post-Columbian times.  However, var. taitense is believed to be indigenous in eastern Polynesia and apparently westward as far as Fiji"  (Smith, 1981; p. 429).

Presence:

Pacific
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (US) Northern Mariana Islands	Agrigan (Agrihan) Island	introduced	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 161) var. marie-galante (Watt) Hutchinson
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (US) Northern Mariana Islands	Farallon de Medinilla (Marpi, Medinilla) Island		Wagner, W. L./ Herbst, D. R./Weitzman, A./Lorence, D.H. (2013) var. taitense (Parl.) Roberty
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (US) Northern Mariana Islands	Maug Island	native	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 161) var. taitense (Parl.) Roberty. Also var. marie-galante (Watt) Hutchinson, introduced.
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (US) Northern Mariana Islands	Pagan Island	introduced	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 161) var. marie-galante (Watt) Hutchinson
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (US) Northern Mariana Islands	Tinian Island		Wagner, W. L./ Herbst, D. R./Weitzman, A./Lorence, D.H. (2013) var. taitense (Parl.) Roberty
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (US) Saipan	Saipan Island	native	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 161) var. taitense (Parl.) Roberty. Also var. marie-galante (Watt) Hutchinson, introduced.
Cook Islands Southern Cook Islands	Aitutaki Atoll	possibly native	McCormack, Gerald (2013) Rare
Fiji Fiji Islands	Kandavu Island	native	Smith, Albert C. (1981) (pp. 429-430) Vouchers cited: Seemann 28, Pritchard s.n.
Fiji Fiji Islands	Mamanuthas Island	native	Smith, Albert C. (1981) (pp. 429-430) Voucher cited: O. & I. Degener 32354
Fiji Fiji Islands	Oneata Island	native	Smith, Albert C. (1981) (pp. 429-430) Voucher cited: Bryan 488
Fiji Fiji Islands	Vanua Levu Island	native	Smith, Albert C. (1981) (pp. 429-430) Vouchers cited: DA 12284, DA 4008, DA 4029, DA 4027, DA 4028, DA 13691
Fiji Fiji Islands	Viti Levu Island	native	Smith, Albert C. (1981) (pp. 429-430) Voucher cited: Smythe s.n.
French Polynesia Marquesas Islands	Fatu Hiva Island	native	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2013) var. taitense (F. Parlatore) G.É. Roberty
French Polynesia Marquesas Islands	Hiva Oa Island	introduced invasive	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2013) var. hirsutum; Voucher cited: S.P. Perlman , K.R. Wood & J.-Y. Meyer 14870 (PAP). Also var. taitense (F. Parlatore) G.É. Roberty, indigène Naturalisée
French Polynesia Marquesas Islands	Marquesas Islands	uncertain if native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
French Polynesia Marquesas Islands	Nuku Hiva (Nukahiva) Island	introduced invasive	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2013) var. hirsutum; vouchers cited: S.P. Perlman 10029(PAP), J. Florence 8511 (PAP). Also var. taitense (F. Parlatore) G.É. Roberty, indigène Naturalisée
French Polynesia Marquesas Islands	Tahuata (Tuhuata) Island	native	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2013) var. taitense (F. Parlatore) G.É. Roberty
French Polynesia Marquesas Islands	Ua Huka (Huahuna, Uahuka) Island	native	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2013) var. taitense (F. Parlatore) G.É. Roberty
French Polynesia Marquesas Islands	Ua Pou (Huapu, Uapou, Uapu) Island	native	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2013) var. taitense (F. Parlatore) G.É. Roberty
French Polynesia Society Islands	Bora Bora Island	native	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2013) var. taitense (F. Parlatore) G.É. Roberty
French Polynesia Society Islands	Maupiti (Maurua) Island	native	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2013) var. taitense (F. Parlatore) G.É. Roberty; voucher cited: F.R. Fosberg 64781 (PAP)
French Polynesia Society Islands	Tahiti Island	native	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2013) var. taitense (F. Parlatore) G.É. Roberty
French Polynesia Tuamotu Archipelago	Makatea (Ma‘atea) Island	native	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2013) var. taitense (F. Parlatore) G.É. Roberty
French Polynesia Austral (Tubuai) Islands	Rapa Island	native	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2013) var. taitense (F. Parlatore) G.É. Roberty
Guam Guam Island	Guam Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Stone, Benjamin C. (1970) (pp. 409-410) Occasionally escaped from cultivation. Rare.
Guam Guam Island	Guam Island	native	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 161) var. taitense (Parl.) Roberty. Also var. marie-galante (Watt) Hutchinson, introduced.
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Maui Island	introduced invasive	Starr, Forest/Martz, Kim/Loope, Lloyd L. (2002) (p. 21) East Maui. Voucher cited: Starr & Martz 000415-1 (BISH)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	O‘ahu Island	introduced invasive	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (p. 876) Sparingly naturalized
Samoa Western Samoa Islands	Western Samoa Islands	uncertain if native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
Tonga Ha‘apai Group	Kotu Island		Bishop Museum (U.S.A. Hawaii. Honolulu.) (1982) (voucher ID: BISH 640309) Taxon name on voucher: Gossypium hirsutum
United States (other Pacific offshore islands) Wake Islands	Wake Island	native	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 161)

Pacific Rim
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
Australia Australia (continental)	New South Wales	introduced invasive cultivated	National Herbarium of New South Wales (2013) Commercially cultivated for cotton, common on roadsides in cotton-growing areas.
Central America Central America (Pacific rim)	El Salvador (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
Central America Central America (Pacific rim)	Guatemala (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
Central America Central America (Pacific rim)	Honduras (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
Central America Central America (Pacific rim)	Nicaragua (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
China China	China (People's Republic of)	introduced cultivated	Zhengyi, Wu/Raven, Peter H./Deyuan, Hong (2013)
Mexico Mexico	Mexico (United Mexican States)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)

Indian Ocean
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
French Territory of Mayotte Mayotte Islands	Mayotte Island	introduced invasive	Comité français de l'Union Internationale pour la Conservation de la Nature en France (2013) Envahissant principalement dans les milieux perturbés.
Seychelles Seychelles Islands	Seychelles Islands	introduced	Invasive Species Specialist Group (2017)

Also reported from
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
United States (continental except west coast) United States (other states)	USA (Florida)	uncertain if native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)

Control:  If you know of control methods for Gossypium hirsutum, please let us know.