Gossypium (genus)
- Scope note
- Genus containing around 50 species of shrubs native to most subtropical areas of the world, long cultivated for fiber and oil. Many varieties of cotton have been developed by selective breeding and hybridisation of various species. Cotton cloth was made as early as 5000 BCE in India; by 3000 BCE, cotton fabrics were being woven in Egypt, China, and Peru. Cultivation of cotton became widespread in Europe in the Middle Ages.
- Date of creation: 18-Nov-2024
Accepted term: 18-Nov-2024