Levant cotton

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• Levant Cotton
• Arabian cotton
• Cultivated cotton
• Maltese cotton
• Short-staple Cotton
• Syrian cotton

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Regional and Traditional Names

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae within the phylum Streptophyta and the class Equisetopsida. It is further classified under the subclass Magnoliidae and the order Malvales. Finally, it is a member of the family Malvaceae and falls under the genus Gossypium.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant exhibits a specific geographical distribution across several regions of Southern Europe. In the western part of the continent, its presence is noted in Spain within Southwestern Europe. Moving toward the east, the species can be found in the country of Albania. It is also widely distributed throughout Southeastern Europe, specifically within the borders of Greece and Italy. Additionally, the plant is documented to grow on the island of Kriti.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Gossypium herbaceum is characterized by its adaptability to diverse environmental conditions, primarily thriving within anthropogenic areas (Área Antrópica) where human activity has shaped the landscape. This species exhibits a broad altitudinal distribution, occupying a wide vertical gradient that ranges from low-lying coastal or lowland regions at an elevation of 5 m AMSL to higher terrains reaching a maximum of 1220 m AMSL. This significant elevational range suggests a high degree of ecological plasticity, allowing it to colonize various microclimates across different altitudes.

Elevational range max:

1220 m AMSL

Elevational range min:

5 m AMSL

Habitat :

Área Antrópica

Life history

The life history of Gossypium herbaceum is characterized by a versatile lifecycle that can manifest as an annual, biennial, or perennial, depending on the environmental conditions and climatic stability of its habitat. As a plant that adapts to various ecological niches, its growth habit is classified as a hemicryptophyte, meaning its perennating buds are located at or just below the soil surface, allowing it to survive seasonal stresses. This life history strategy enables the species to persist through unfavorable periods while maintaining the capacity to regenerate and complete its reproductive stages when favorable conditions return.

Life form :

hemicryptophyte

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Gossypium herbaceum is characterized by a shrub growth form that is primarily non-woody in nature. As a self-supporting plant, it does not function as a climber or an epiphyte, maintaining a strictly terrestrial existence rather than being aquatic or semiaquatic. The species operates as an independent organism, showing no parasitic tendencies. In terms of stature, the plant exhibits significant variation in size, with heights ranging from a minimum of 0.3 m to a maximum of approximately 1.83 m, maintaining an average height of 1.5 m.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

shrub

Parasite :

independent

Plant height max:

1.828822238 m

Plant height mean:

1.5 m

Plant height min:

0.3 m

Woodiness :

non-woody

Physiology

The physiology of Gossypium herbaceum is characterized by a C3 photosynthetic pathway, which dictates its metabolic processes and carbon fixation efficiency. Morphologically, its leaves exhibit a lobed form, varying significantly in size to optimize light interception and gas exchange. The leaf dimensions typically range from a minimum length of 5 cm to a maximum of 10 cm, with an average length of 7.5 cm. In terms of breadth, the leaves fluctuate between a minimum width of 2 cm and a maximum width of 10 cm. Furthermore, this species does not function as a nitrogen fixer, meaning it relies on soil-available nitrogen rather than symbiotic atmospheric nitrogen fixation to support its physiological development and growth.

Leaf form :

lobed

Leaf length max:

10 cm

Leaf length mean:

7.5 cm

Leaf length min:

5 cm

Leaf width max:

10 cm

Leaf width min:

2 cm

Nitrogen fixer :

no

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Reproduction

The reproduction of Gossypium herbaceum is characterized by a distinct flowering period that typically commences in July and concludes within the same month, though the timing can be variable. The plant produces flowers that exhibit a red color, with individual flower lengths ranging from a minimum of 2.5 cm to a maximum of 3.5 cm. Following pollination, the plant develops fruit in the form of a capsule. These capsules typically maintain a length of approximately 3 cm, with measurements observed between a minimum of 2.5 cm and a maximum of 3 cm. The fruit is dehiscence-based, meaning it is dehiscent to facilitate seed dispersal. The seeds produced within these capsules vary in mass, with a mean seed mass of 0.05572 g, ranging from a minimum of 0.04899 g to a maximum of 0.0597 g.

Dehiscence :

dehiscent

Flower colour :

red

Flower length max:

3.5 cm

Flower length min:

2.5 cm

Flowering time :

Jul

Fruit length max:

3 cm

Fruit length min:

2.5 cm

Fruit type :

capsule

Seed mass max:

0.0597 g

Seed mass mean:

0.05572 g

Seed mass min:

0.04899 g

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Chemicals

Gossypium herbaceum has 4 reported phytochemicals identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include Flavonoids, Hyperoside, Isoquercitrin, gossypol.

Flavonoids

1. Pakistan journal of pharmaceutical sciences

Hyperoside

1. Journal of chromatography. A

Isoquercitrin

1. Journal of chromatography. A

gossypol

1. Obstetrical & gynecological survey

Activities

Gossypium herbaceum has 3 reported activities identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antidepressant, Antiviral, Anxiolytic.

Antidepressant

1. Zhongguo Zhong yao za zhi = Zhongguo zhongyao zazhi = China journal of Chinese materia medica

Antiviral

1. BioMed research international

Anxiolytic

1. Zhongguo Zhong yao za zhi = Zhongguo zhongyao zazhi = China journal of Chinese materia medica

Conditions

Gossypium herbaceum has 1 reported investigations on conditions identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported conditions include Diabetes mellitus.

Diabetes mellitus

1. Pakistan journal of pharmaceutical sciences