Gossypium australe F.Muell.
Native Cotton

Scientific Description

Herb or shrub, with hairy stems. Leaves 50-120 mm long, 25-45 mm wide, not lobed; margins entire; hairs and scales absent (leaves quite glabrous)with scales absent, Sessile glands absent; stipules present and persistent to older leaves or present but early deciduous (only visible on youngest leaves). Perianth clearly of two whorls (calyx and corolla), the corolla obvious and prominent. Pedicel present, 10-25 mm long; indumentum present, with stellate hairs present, with scales absent. Epicalyx (extra segments or 'bracteoles' immediately below the calyx) present, 9-12 mm long, the lobes free, glabrouswith scales absent, Sessile glands absent. Calyx green, 17-27 mm long, the lobes fused less than half their length, Sessile glands absent, stellate hairs present, scales absent, Terminal appendages absent, number of ribs absent. Corolla pink, blue or purple, 25-50 mm long, glabrous. Indumentum (outside) Sessile glands absent. Stamens many, united and arising from a staminal tube around the style; filaments present, 0.5-0.7 mm long; anthers 1.5-2 mm long, indumentum absent (anthers glabrous). Staminodes absent, appendages absent. Ovary hairs and scales absent (ovary quite glabrous); style 1, with a lobed or capitate stigma, 15 mm long, with one style branches or lobes, mostly glabrous. Fruits dehiscent (capsules and follicles), length-width ratio more or less as long as wide, hairs or scales present, simple hairs (without tubercle bases) absent, stellate hairs present, Sessile glands absent, tubercle-based simple hairs absent, gland-tipped hairs absent, scales absent; apex rounded; prickles absent (except perhaps a terminal awn); terminal awns or spines absent; calyx persistent to mature fruit, not accrescent; seeds per loculus 2-4. Flowering time April, May, June, July, August, September or October. Distribution Botanical Province Northern or Eremaean, IBRA Bioregion Great Sandy Desert, Tanami, Carnarvon, Little Sandy Desert, Gibson Desert, North Kimberley, Victoria Bonaparte, Central Kimberley, Dampierland and Ord-Victorian-Plain.