About Gossypium tomentosum Nutt. ex Seem.
Maʻo, scientifically Gossypium tomentosum Nutt. ex Seem., is a shrub that grows 1.5–5 ft (0.46–1.52 m) in height and 5–10 ft (1.5–3.0 m) in diameter. Its seed hairs, called lint, are short and reddish brown, and are unsuitable for spinning or twisting into thread. Its flowers are bright yellow, have 3–5 lobes, and bloom from late summer to winter. This species is found on all main Hawaiian islands except Hawai'i, also known as the Big Island. It inhabits low shrublands at elevations ranging from sea level to 120 m (390 ft). Its ancestor likely reached the Hawaiian islands from the Americas as a seed, carried by wind, in bird droppings, or as part of floating debris. Because it grows in habitats close to the ocean, it has a higher salt resistance than other cotton species. Gossypium tomentosum has been cross-bred with other cotton plants to develop a more persistent cultivated cotton variety. It has also been used in cross-breeding to create cotton varieties with greater salt resilience. It has additionally been studied for its potential to improve the consistency of pollination in cotton.
