Gossypium barbadense L., Malvaceae

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Present on Pacific Islands?  yes

Threat only at high elevations?  no

Other Latin names:  Gossypium peruvianum Cav., Gossypium brasiliense sensu Okabe non Macf.

Common name(s): [more details]

Chamorro: algodon, atgodon

English: cotton, sea island cotton

Fijian: vauvau, vauvau ni vavalangi

French: coton

Hawaiian: kī‘ailana, pulupulu, pulupulu haole

I-Kiribati: te baobao, te baubau

Mangarevan: komiro ina

Maori (Cook Islands): vavai, vavaī, vavaī, vavaī papa‘ā

Marquesan: aavaih, uru

Marshallese: kotin

Nauruan: duwoduwo

Niuean: vavae

Samoan: vavae Samoa

Spanish: algodón

Tahitian: evavai, vavai, vavai, vavay

Tongan: vavae

Habit:  shrub

Description:  "Shrubs or annual subshrubs 1-2 (-3) m tall, glabrous to sparsely stellate pubescent.  Leaf blades usually somewhat wider than long, 5-15 cm wide, cut usually beyond the middle into 3, 5 or 7 lobes, the lobes lanceolate to ovate, acuminate, midvein on lower surface with a basal gland, stipules 1-5 cm long.  Flowers solitary or in sympodial inflorescences, pedicels 1-4 cm long, with 3 subterminal, fringed nectaries; involucral bracts ovate, usually 40-50 (-65) mm long, lacerate, the teeth 5-17, acuminate from the base and separated by rounded sinuses; calyx usually truncate, 0.7-1 cm long; petals usually yellow with a basal maroon spot, fading pinkish purple, 5-8 cm long.  Capsules 3-celled, narrowly ovoid, tapering to an acute tip, (2.5-) 3-5 cm long, pitted black punctate.  Seeds several per cell, distinct or connate, lint copious, white"  (Wagner et al., 1999; pp. 875-876).

Habitat/ecology:  In Hawai‘i, "naturalized in dry, disturbed areas, 10-200 m" (Wagner et al., 1999; pp. 875-876).  In Niue, it grows in most of the villages and sometimes forms quite large clumps" (Sykes, 1970; pp. 111-112).  In Guam, "occasionally seen escaped from cultivation" (Stone, 1970; p. 409).  In Fiji, "persists infrequently as a shrub or small tree" (Smith, 1981; pp. 430-431).

Propagation:  Seed

Native range:  Tropical America (Wagner et al., 1999; pp. 875-876).

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. 160) ?
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (US) Northern Mariana Islands	Maug Island	introduced	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 160) ?
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (US) Northern Mariana Islands	Saipan Island	introduced	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 160)
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (US) Northern Mariana Islands	Tinian Island	introduced	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 160)
Cook Islands Southern Cook Islands	Mangaia Island	cultivated	McCormack, Gerald (2007)
Cook Islands Southern Cook Islands	Ma‘uke Island	cultivated	McCormack, Gerald (2007)
Cook Islands Southern Cook Islands	Rarotonga Island	cultivated	McCormack, Gerald (2007)
Ecuador (Galápagos Islands) Santa Cruz Group	Santa Cruz Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Charles Darwin Research Station (2005)
Federated States of Micronesia Chuuk Islands	Fefan Island	introduced	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 160)
Federated States of Micronesia Chuuk Islands	Tol Island	introduced	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 160)
Federated States of Micronesia Pohnpei Islands	Pohnpei Island	introduced	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 160)
Federated States of Micronesia Pohnpei Islands	Pohnpei Island	introduced	Glassman, S. F. (1952) (p. 67)
Fiji Fiji Islands	Ongea Levu Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Smith, Albert C. (1981) (pp. 430-431) Voucher Cited: Bryan 421
Fiji Fiji Islands	Vanua Levu Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Smith, Albert C. (1981) (pp. 430-431) Voucher Cited: Smith 6626
Fiji Fiji Islands	Vanua Mbalavu Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Smith, Albert C. (1981) (pp. 430-431) Voucher Cited: DA 13259
French Polynesia Gambier Islands	Akamaru Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Florence, J. (2004) (pp. 187-189)
French Polynesia Gambier Islands	Mangareva (Gambier) Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Florence, J. (2004) (pp. 187-189)
French Polynesia Marquesas Islands	Fatu Hiva Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Florence, J. (2004) (pp. 187-189)
French Polynesia Marquesas Islands	Hatuta'a Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Florence, J. (2004) (pp. 187-189)
French Polynesia Marquesas Islands	Hiva Oa Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Florence, J. (2004) (pp. 187-189)
French Polynesia Marquesas Islands	Nuku Hiva (Nukahiva) Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Florence, J. (2004) (pp. 187-189)
French Polynesia Marquesas Islands	Ua Huka (Huahuna, Uahuka) Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Florence, J. (2004) (pp. 187-189)
French Polynesia Society Islands	Bora Bora Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Welsh, S. L. (1998) (p. 174) Voucher cited: Grant 5067
French Polynesia Society Islands	Bora Bora Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Florence, J. (2004) (pp. 187-189)
French Polynesia Society Islands	Huahine Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Florence, J. (2004) (pp. 187-189)
French Polynesia Society Islands	Maupiti (Maurua) Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Florence, J. (2004) (pp. 187-189)
French Polynesia Society Islands	Maupiti (Maurua) Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, M.-H. (1987) (p. 46) Voucher cited: Fosberg 64937 (US) Possibly persisting from planting.
French Polynesia Society Islands	Moorea Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Welsh, S. L. (1998) (p. 174) Voucher cited: H.M. Smith 102
French Polynesia Society Islands	Moorea Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Florence, J. (2004) (pp. 187-189)
French Polynesia Society Islands	Raiatea (Havai) Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Welsh, S. L. (1998) (p. 174) Vouchers cited: Moore 564, BRY 26468
French Polynesia Society Islands	Raiatea (Havai) Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Florence, J. (2004) (pp. 187-189)
French Polynesia Society Islands	Taha‘a Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Florence, J. (2004) (pp. 187-189)
French Polynesia Society Islands	Tahiti Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Welsh, S. L. (1998) (p. 174) Voucher cited: Setchell & Parks 141
French Polynesia Society Islands	Tahiti Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Florence, J. (2004) (pp. 187-189)
French Polynesia Tuamotu Archipelago	Rangiroa (Rairoa) Atoll	introduced invasive cultivated	Florence, J. (2004) (pp. 187-189)
French Polynesia Tuamotu Archipelago	Takapoto Atoll	introduced invasive cultivated	Florence, J. (2004) (pp. 187-189)
French Polynesia Tubuai (Austral) Islands	Rimatara (Rimitara) Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Florence, J. (2004) (pp. 187-189)
French Polynesia Tubuai (Austral) Islands	Rurutu Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Florence, J. (2004) (pp. 187-189)
French Polynesia Tubuai (Austral) Islands	Tubuai (Tupuai) Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Florence, J. (2004) (pp. 187-189)
Guam Guam Island	Guam Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Stone, Benjamin C. (1970) (p. 409) Escaped from cultivation.
Guam Guam Island	Guam Island	introduced	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 160)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Hawai‘i (Big) Island	introduced invasive	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (pp. 874-876)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Kaua‘i Island	introduced invasive	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (pp. 874-876)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Lāna‘i Island	introduced invasive	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (pp. 874-876)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Moloka‘i Island	introduced invasive	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (pp. 874-876)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Ni‘ihau Island	introduced invasive	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (pp. 874-876)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	O‘ahu Island	introduced invasive	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (pp. 874-876)
Kiribati Kiribati	Kiribati (Republic of)	introduced cultivated	Thaman, R. R. (1987) (p. 25)
Marshall Islands Ralik Chain	Jaluit (Jãlwõj) Atoll	introduced	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 160)
Marshall Islands Ralik Chain	Kwajalein (Kuwajleen) Atoll	introduced	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 160)
Marshall Islands Ralik Chain	Kwajalein (Kuwajleen) Atoll	introduced	Whistler, W. A./Steele, O. (1999) (p. 101) Not seen on this survey and may no longer be present.
Marshall Islands Ralik Chain	Kwajalein (Kuwajleen) Atoll	introduced cultivated	Fosberg, F. R. (1955) (p. 13) Seen in nursery.
Marshall Islands Ratak Chain	Arno Atoll	introduced	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 160)
Marshall Islands Ratak Chain	Arno Atoll		Anderson, Donald (1951) (p. iii) Voucher cited: Anderson 3685
Marshall Islands Ratak Chain	Arno Atoll	introduced	Vander Velde, Nancy/Vander Velde, Brian (2007) (p. 9) Not observed on this survey. "Possibly planted experimentally around Ine village, where Anderson did most of his collecting, but did not survive, although it possible could be present and not found during recent survey; previously recorded on Majuro, Kwajalein and Jaluit where it did not survive".
Marshall Islands Ratak Chain	Likiep Atoll	introduced	Fosberg, F. Raymond (1990) (p. 36)
Marshall Islands Ratak Chain	Majuro (Mãjro) Atoll	introduced	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 160)
Marshall Islands Ratak Chain	Majuro (Mãjro) Atoll	introduced	Vander Velde, Nancy (2003) (p. 105) Presumably extirpated.
Marshall Islands Ratak Chain	Mejit (Mãjej) Island	introduced	Fosberg, F. Raymond (1990) (p. 36)
Marshall Islands Ratak Chain	Utirik (Utrõk) Atoll	introduced	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 160)
Marshall Islands Ratak Chain	Utirik (Utrõk) Atoll	introduced cultivated	Fosberg, F. R. (1955) (p. 13) Voucher cited: Fosberg 33656 (US)
Nauru Nauru Island	Nauru Island	introduced	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 160)
Nauru Nauru Island	Nauru Island	introduced	Thaman, R. R./Fosberg, F. R./Manner, H. I./Hassall, D. C. (1994) (p. 162) Not seen or collected since 1935.
New Caledonia Îles Loyauté (Loyalte Islands)	Îles Ouvéa (Ouvea Atoll)	introduced invasive	MacKee, H. S. (1994) (p. 97) Gossypium sp.; voucher cited: MacKee 18879 Spontané
New Caledonia Îles Loyauté (Loyalte Islands)	Île Tiga	introduced cultivated	MacKee, H. S. (1994) (p. 97) Gossypium sp.; voucher cited: MacKee 45929
New Caledonia New Caledonia Archipelago	Île Grande Terre	introduced invasive	MacKee, H. S. (1994) (p. 97) Gossypium sp.; vouchers cited: MacKee 29348, Létocart in MacKee 37262, Cherrier in MacKee 40855 Spontané
Niue Niue	Niue Island	introduced	Sykes, W. R. (1970) (pp. 111-112) Vouchers cited: CHR 170319, 170320, 170321
Niue Niue	Niue Island	introduced cultivated	Yuncker, T. G. (1943) (p. 84) Uncommon. Voucher cited: Yuncker 9858 (BISH)
Niue Niue	Niue Island	introduced cultivated	Space, James C./Waterhouse, Barbara M./Newfield, Melanie/Bull, Cate (2004) (p. 43)
Palau Palau (main island group)	Babeldaob Island	introduced invasive	Space, James C./Waterhouse, Barbara/Miles, Joel E./Tiobech, Joseph/Rengulbai, Kashgar (2003) (p. 101)
Pitcairn Islands Pitcairn Islands	Pitcairn Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Florence, J. (2004) (pp. 187-189)
Tonga Vava‘u Group	Vava‘u Island	introduced	Yuncker, T. G. (1959) (p. 185) As Gossypium brasiliense Macfayden, cited from Crosby.

Pacific Rim
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
Ecuador (Mainland) Ecuador	Ecuador (Republic of) (continental)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2007)
Perú Perú	Perú (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2007)

Indian Ocean
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
Australia (Indian Ocean offshore islands) Christmas Island Group	Christmas Island	introduced invasive	Swarbrick, J. T. (1997) (p. 115) Naturalized

Additional information:  Additional online information about Gossypium barbadense is available from the Hawaiian Ecosystems at Risk project (HEAR).

Taxonomic information about Gossypium barbadense may be available from the Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN).

References:

Anderson, Donald. 1951. The plants of Arno Atoll, Marshall Islands. Atoll Research Bulletin No. 7. Pacific Science Board, National Academy of Sciences, Washington. 4 pp. + 7 pp. appendix.

Charles Darwin Research Station. 2005. CDRS Herbarium records.

Florence, J. 2004. Flore de la Polynésie française, Vol. 2. Paris. IRE Editions, Publications Scientifiques, Collection Faune et Flore Tropicales 41. 503 pp.

Fosberg, F. R. 1955. Northern Marshall Islands Expedition, 1951-1952. Land biota: vascular plants. Atoll Research Bulletin No. 39. Pacific Science Board, National Academy of Sciences, Washington. 22 pp.

Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, M.-H. 1987. Flora of Maupiti, Society Islands. The Smithsonian Institution. Atoll Research Bulletin 294:1-70.

Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce. 1979. A geographical checklist of the Micronesian dicotyledonae. Micronesica 15:1-295.

Fosberg, F. Raymond. 1990. A review of the natural history of the Marshall Islands. Atoll Research Bulletin No. 330. Smithsonian Institution, Washington. 100 pp.

Glassman, S. F. 1952. The flora of Ponape. Bishop Mus. Bull. 209: 1-152.

MacKee, H. S. 1994. Catalogue des plantes introduites et cultivées en Nouvelle-Calédonie. Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Paris, 164 p.

McCormack, Gerald. 2007. Cook Islands biodiversity and natural heritage. On-line database.

Smith, Albert C. 1981. Flora Vitiensis nova: a new flora of Fiji. National Tropical Botanical Garden, Lawai, Kauai, Hawaii. Volume 2. 810 pp.

Space, James C./Waterhouse, Barbara M./Newfield, Melanie/Bull, Cate. 2004. Report to the Government of Niue and the United Nations Development Programme: Invasive plant species on Niue following Cyclone Heta. UNDP NIU/98/G31 - Niue Enabling Activity. 80 pp.

Space, James C./Waterhouse, Barbara/Miles, Joel E./Tiobech, Joseph/Rengulbai, Kashgar. 2003. Report to the Republic of Palau on invasive plant species of environmental concern. USDA Forest Service, Honolulu. 174 pp.

Stone, Benjamin C. 1970. The flora of Guam. Micronesica 6:1-659.

Swarbrick, J. T. 1997. Environmental weeds and exotic plants on Christmas Island, Indian Ocean: a report to Parks Australia. 101 pp. plus appendix.

Sykes, W. R. 1970. Contributions to the flora of Niue. New Zealand Department of Scientific and Industrial Research Bulletin 200, Wellington. 321 pp.

Thaman, R. R. 1987. Plants of Kiribati: a listing and analysis of vernacular names. Atoll Res. Bull. 296:1-42.

Thaman, R. R./Fosberg, F. R./Manner, H. I./Hassall, D. C. 1994. The flora of Nauru. Smithsonian Institution, Washington. Atoll Research Bulletin 392:1-223.

U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. 2007. National Genetic Resources Program. Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN). Online searchable database.

Vander Velde, Nancy. 2003. The vascular plants of Majuro Atoll, Republic of the Marshall Islands. Smithsonian Institution, Atoll Research Bulletin No. 503:1-141.

Vander Velde, Nancy/Vander Velde, Brian. 2007. Arno plants [preliminary working listing of plant species]. Unpublished checklist, 13 pp.

Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. 1999. Manual of the flowering plants of Hawaii. Revised edition. Bernice P. Bishop Museum special publication. University of Hawai‘i Press/Bishop Museum Press, Honolulu. 1919 pp. (two volumes).

Welsh, S. L. 1998. Flora Societensis: A summary revision of the flowering plants of the Society Islands. E.P.S. Inc., Orem, Utah. 420 pp.

Whistler, W. A./Steele, O. 1999. Botanical survey of the United States of America Kwajalein Atoll (USAKA) Islands. Prepared for Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education and the U. S. Army Environmental Center. 111 pp.

Wiggins, I. L./Porter, D. M. 1971. Flora of the Galapágos Islands. Stanford University Press. 998 pp.

Yuncker, T. G. 1943. The flora of Niue Island. Bishop Mus. Bull. 178. Bishop Museum Press, Honolulu. 126 pp.

Yuncker, T. G. 1959. Plants of Tonga. Bishop Museum Bull. 220. Bishop Museum Press, Honolulu. 343 pp.