What is the correct scientific name of the cotton plant commonly cultivated for its fibres?

Introduction / Context:
Scientific names provide a standard, internationally accepted way to identify plant and animal species, avoiding confusion caused by local common names. Cotton is an economically important fibre crop, and knowing its scientific name is a frequent requirement in general science and agriculture related exams. This question asks you to identify the correct binomial name for the cotton plant mentioned.

Given Data / Assumptions:

We are asked for the scientific name of cotton. Options include several well known plant species with their Latin names. We assume the question refers to a common cultivated cotton species used in textbooks, not a rare wild species. The correct binomial should follow the format Genus species, with Gossypium as the cotton genus.

Concept / Approach:
The genus Gossypium includes several species of cotton plants. One of the commonly cited species in school level textbooks is Gossypium herbaceum, representing herbaceous cotton. Other species such as Gossypium hirsutum and Gossypium barbadense are also important in global cotton production, but Gossypium herbaceum remains the classic example in many general knowledge questions. The other Latin names listed correspond to completely different plants: Azadirachta indica is neem, Phaseolus vulgaris is the common bean, Ficus benghalensis is the banyan tree and Oryza sativa is cultivated rice.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recall that cotton belongs to the genus Gossypium. Step 2: Identify which option begins with the genus name Gossypium. Step 3: Notice that option c is Gossypium herbaceum, matching the cotton genus and a well known cultivated species. Step 4: Check other options: Azadirachta indica is neem, Phaseolus vulgaris is bean, Ficus benghalensis is banyan and Oryza sativa is rice. Step 5: Conclude that Gossypium herbaceum is the correct scientific name for cotton in the context of this question.

Verification / Alternative check:
A quick verification is to recall typical exam tables listing economic plants and their scientific names. Cotton is almost always paired with Gossypium herbaceum or the general genus Gossypium. Similarly, neem is matched with Azadirachta indica, banyan with Ficus benghalensis and rice with Oryza sativa. If you have memorised these standard pairs, it becomes easy to recognise which name goes with which plant. The fact that only one option uses the genus Gossypium strongly supports it as the correct answer.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Azadirachta indica refers to neem, a medicinal and pesticidal tree, not a fibre crop. Phaseolus vulgaris is the scientific name for the common bean, a legume used as a food crop. Ficus benghalensis identifies the banyan tree, a large fig species with aerial roots. Oryza sativa is the species name for cultivated rice, a cereal staple. None of these plants produce cotton fibre, so their scientific names cannot be correct answers to a question about cotton.

Common Pitfalls:
Students may mix up scientific names due to similar sounding Latin endings or because they memorised them quickly without strong associations. For example, they may confuse Azadirachta indica with other India related species names. To avoid such confusion, link each scientific name to a clear mental image of the plant and its main use: Gossypium with cotton bolls, Oryza with paddy fields, Ficus benghalensis with a huge banyan tree, and Azadirachta indica with neem leaves and medicinal uses. These mental links make it much easier to recall the correct pairing in exams.

Final Answer:
The correct scientific name of the commonly cultivated cotton plant is Gossypium herbaceum.