Gossypium robinsonii F.Muell.
Wild Cotton

Scientific Description

Herb or shrub, with glabrous stems. Leaves 40-115 mm long, 45-110 mm wide, tripartitely lobed or palmately lobed, simply (once-)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, 25-55 mm long; glabrous. Epicalyx (extra segments or 'bracteoles' immediately below the calyx) present, 10-20 mm long, the lobes free, glabrous, Sessile glands absent. Calyx green, 8-14 mm long, the lobes fused less than half their length, Sessile glands absent, scales absent, Terminal appendages absent, number of ribs absent. Corolla pink, blue or purple, 40-60 mm long, hairs or scales present, simple hairs (without tubercle bases) absent, stellate hairs present, tubercle-based simple hairs absent, gland-tipped hairs absent, scales absent. Indumentum (outside) Sessile glands present. Stamens many, united and arising from a staminal tube around the style; filaments present, 1.7-3 mm long; anthers 0.6-0.7 mm long, indumentum absent (anthers glabrous). Staminodes absent, appendages absent. Ovary hairs and scales absent (ovary quite glabrous), gland-tipped hairs absent; style 1, with a lobed or capitate stigma, 16-32 mm long, with one style branches or lobes, mostly glabrous, wing absent. Fruits dehiscent (capsules and follicles), length-width ratio more or less as long as wide, hairs and scales absent, Sessile glands 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 July, August, September, October or November. Distribution Botanical Province Northern or Eremaean, IBRA Bioregion Pilbara, Carnarvon, Gascoyne and Victoria Bonaparte.