Pre-Columbian trade probably introduced Gossypium barbadense into Paraguay. Since then it has been maintained in its unimproved form as dooryard or garden plants by the indigenous people. Since the area was invaded by the boll weevil approximately 20 years ago, these garden plants have generally been destroyed so that they do not serve as reservoirs for this pest to invade the cultivated crop (G. hirsutum). Since very little of the germplasm remains it is imperative to collect and conserve ex situ that which does remain. After an extensive survey of the Chaco region of Paraguay (States of Presidente Hayes and Boquerón) only one house was found to have G. barbadense. Unexpectedly, two populations of a wild G. hirsutum were found and collected. This species was not previously known to occur in the central interior of South America. This paper will report on the collection effort and comparisons of the wild G. hirsutum with other wild plants of this species.