Cotton Fibre Origin: Where it Comes From

Cotton is a soft, fluffy staple fibre that grows in a boll, or protective case, around the seeds of cotton plants of the genus Gossypium in the mallow family Malvaceae. The fibre is almost pure cellulose.

Understanding where cotton fibre is obtained from is important for knowing about this common natural fibre.

Let's look at the parts of the plant mentioned in the options:

• Root: The root anchors the plant and absorbs water and nutrients from the soil. It does not produce the fibre.
• Seed: The cotton fibre grows directly from the surface of the cotton seeds inside the boll. These fibres are called lint.
• Leaf: Leaves are primarily involved in photosynthesis. They do not produce the fibre.
• Stem: The stem provides structural support to the plant and transports water and nutrients. While some plants produce fibres from the stem (like jute or flax), cotton fibre is not obtained from the stem.

Therefore, the soft fibre that is harvested and used to make textiles is obtained from the seed of the cotton plant.