Botanical classification of cotton fiber

Cotton is the seed hair of shrub plant which bears the botanical name GOSSYPIUM, a member of the Mallow family, cultivated as an annual plant. There are about 50 species of cotton plants however, only four of them have attained commercial importance.

1.   Gossypium Borbagense:

i)                   Plants are generally 6 – 15 ft. in height, yellow flowers.

ii)                Fiber length ranges from 38 to 102 mm.

iii)              Sea Islan , egyption cotton and American cotton belong to this class.

2.     gossypium harbaceum:

i)                   The plants are like bush and generally 3 – 6 ft. in high, yellow flowers.

ii)                Fiber length ranges 20 – 26 mm.

iii)              Indian and Chinese cotton belong to this class.  

3.     Gossypium Hirsutum:

i)                   Plants are usually 6 ft. in height, red flowers.

ii)                Fiber lenght: long fiber ranges 28 – 32 mm and extra long fiber more than 32 mm.

iii)              South and North American, also known as Upland or Mexican, cotton belong to this class.

4.     Gossypium paruvianum:

i)                   Plants are generally 10 – 15 ft. in height, yellow flowers.

ii)                Average staple length ranges 25 – 40 mm and fibers are brownish yellow.

iii)              Originally South American cotton but Indian, Pakistani and Chinese cotton also belong to this class.