FAMILY
Malvaceae

SPECIES
Gossypium hirsutum

DESCRIPTION
Cotton has showy cream flowers changing to pink-purple, and a seed capsule that opens as acotton boll with tan or white seed-hairs.

USES
The fruit capsulecontains seed-hairs which have been woven into cotton for 2500 years. The seeds are pressed for an edible oil, with residual oil used as stock food. Gossypol, extracted from untreated seed oil. is a possible source of hormones, and has potential as a male contraceptive. It is anti-viral and anti-bacterial, and eases menstrula pain.

REMARK
Seed-hairs from Gossypium herbaceum yield cotton-wool.