Australian GossypiumGossypium australe Gossypium bickii

Gossypium australe resides in the genus Gossypium, subgenus Sturtia, and one of three species belonging to the section Hibiscoidea. Gossypium australe together with Gossypium bickii, and Gossypium nelsonii belong to the G-genome species.1

Commonly known as Native Cotton Bush or Native Desert Rose.

Australian Desert Rose (Gossypium australe) with Australiphthiria sp, Alice Springs Desert Park NT
Australian Desert Rose (Gossypium australe) with Australiphthiria sp, Alice Springs Desert Park NT

A shrub that grows to 1-2 m tall, with soft silky hairy covering. The leaves are elliptic to ovate. The epicalyx has three narrow leaves that hang loose at the base. The seed capsule is covered with soft hairs, the seed hairs are straight and bristly.

The flowers are pale lilac-mauve to pink colour with a dark purple-red throat.

Like most of the Gossypium species, they are a popular flowering plant for native insects. During peak flowering season, the flower can be buzzing with bees, insects and even spiders in search of prey.

Australian Desert Rose (Gossypium australe) with Australiphthiria sp, Alice Springs Desert Park NT
Australian Desert Rose (Gossypium australe) with Australiphthiria sp, Alice Springs Desert Park NT
Australian Desert Rose (Gossypium australe) with Australiphthiria sp, Alice Springs Desert Park NT
Australian Desert Rose (Gossypium australe) with Australiphthiria sp, Alice Springs Desert Park NT
Australian Desert Rose (Gossypium australe), Alice Springs Desert Park NT
Australian Desert Rose (Gossypium australe), Alice Springs Desert Park NT

  • Scientific classification
  • Kingdom: Plantae
  • Phylum: Charophyta
  • Class: Equisetopsida
  • Subclass: Magnoliidae
  • Superorder: Rosanae
  • Order: Malvales
  • Family: Malvaceae
  • Genus: Gossypium
    • Subgenus: Sturtia

Footnote & References

  1. Cotton Molecular Genetics, Australian National Botanic Gardens, https://www.anbg.gov.au/cpbr/program/sc/cotton_mole.htm
  2. Wildflowers & Plants of Inland Australia, by Anne Urban, G bickii p122
  3. Gossypium australe F.Muell., Australian Desert Plants – Malvaceae, http://www.northqueenslandplants.com/Australian%20Plant%20Families%20G-M/Malvaceae/Gossypium/Gossypium%20australe.html

FloraFlora in Australia Flora Index Acacia Anigozanthos (Kangaroo Paws) Annual Yellowtop Apium prostratum subsp. prostratum var filiforme Apple Bush (Pterocaulon sphacelatum) Australian Bluebell Australian Gossypium Banksia Batswing Coral Tree Billy Buttons Birdsville Indigo Blue Pincushion Bush Banana Callistemon Callitris drummondii (Drummond’s Cypress Pine) Calothamnus quadrifidus Cape Honeysuckle Cassia fistula (Golden Shower) Cattle Bush Common Heath Crotalaria Darwinia wittwerorum (Wittwer’s Mountain Bell) Daviesia oppositifolia (Rattle-pea) Desert Oaks Drumsticks Eremophila Eucalyptus Ficus Flannel Cudweed (Actinobole uliginosum) Georges Indigo Goatshead Burr (Sclerolaena bicornis) Golden Everlasting Goodenia Gossypium Grass and Grasses Grass Trees Grevillea Grey Germander Hakea Kapok Bush (Aerva javanica) Lambertia sp Leptospermum MacDonnell Ranges Cycad Maireana scleroptera Mexican Poppy Minnie Daisy Mistletoe Family Nardoo Native Apricot Nicotiana megalosiphon subspecies sessilifolia Nuytsia floribunda Orange Spade Flower Orchidaceae Parakeelyas (Calandrinia) Pebble Bush (Stylobasium spathulatum) Perennial Yellow Top Pink Everlasting Pink Rock Wort Poached Egg Daisy Portulaca Proteaceae Ptilotus Quandong Resurrection Fern Rosy Dock Ruby Saltbush Santalum Solanum Spike Centaury Spinifex Storkbill (Erodium cygnorum) Striped Mint Bush Sturt’s Desert Pea Sturt’s Desert Rose Tall Saltbush Tangled Leschenaultia Tar Vine Tribulus eichlerianus Upside-down Plant Urodon dasyphylla Variable Daisy Waratah (Telopea) Wertabona Daisy White Cedar (Melia azedarach) White Indigo White Paper Daisy Wild Passionfruit Wild Stock Woolly-Headed Burr Daisy Woolly Bush Yellow-keeled Swainsona

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