Distribution and Habitat: Throughout India

Botany: A small shrub, 60cm – 2.5 m in height with rigid sparsely pilose stems and branches. 

• Leaves: Simple, alternate, cleft up to half in to 3-7 lobes, lobes broad, ovate, rotund, suddenly acute or apiculate, leathery, gland dotted.
• Flowers: Yellow with purple centre, rarely white, bracteoles with 6-8 serrated teeth on the margin, broadly triangular.
• Fruits: Rounded beaked capsules, 3-4 locular, seeds usually with two coats of hairs, white grey or reddish brown in colour.

Properties: Anti-inflammatory properties

Chemical constituents: Betaine,  caproic acids, carotenoids,  dihydroxybenzoic acids, formic acids, furfural acids, gossypol, gossypetin, gossyfulvin, gossycaerulin, gossypin, gossypitrin, gossypurpurin, herbacetin, herbacitrin, isoquercetin, leucodelphinidin, pentosans, peptones, phospholipids, phytosterols, phytosteroline, quercetin, quercimeritrin, raffinose.

Uses: It is used in strangury, skin diseases, amenorrhea, dysmenorrhoea, burning sensation of stomach, rheumatoid arthritis, otalgia, hyperdipsia, hallucinations, hypochondria, scabies, gout, cephalalgia, dizziness, agalactia, intermittent fevers

Formulations: Kushthanashakalepa, Madhukadiyogadwayam, Karpasamootradiyoga 

Agro technology: 

Soil and climate: Climate is tropical with rainfall 500-750 mm. It can be grown in a wide variety of soils.

Propagation:  Cotton is mostly propagated by seeds. It can be propagated vegetatively by cuttings.

Manure: Apply Farm yard manure compost 12.5 t/ha for rainfed crop. Apply N: P2O5: K2O each 35 kg/ha as basal dressing.

Irrigation: Irrigate the plants once in two weeks. Copious irrigation during flowering will ensure good pod setting and good fibre quality.

Plant protection: Sucking pests like jassids, aphids, and thrips are attacking the plant. Main diseases are bacterial blight diseases, and Alternaria leaf spots.

Harvesting: The bolls start bursting 100-120 days after sowing and will be ready for harvest at this stage. This crop is usually harvested in 3 or 4 pickings, taken at suitable intervals. Harvesting from half – open or immature bolls yields cotton containing large percentage of immature fibres and trash.