In order to analyze the evolutionary characteristics of cotton LOX gene family and its function under cadmium stress, the LOX family members were systematically identified by combining the whole genome data of Gossypium hirsutumhas, G. barbadensehas, G. arboreum and G. raimondiihas. The expression patterns of cadmium-tolerant upland cotton ‘Xiang K27’ in response to cadmium stress and exogenous methyl jasmonate(MeJA) treatment were investigated. Through phylogenetic analysis, conserved motifs, gene structure and cis-acting elements analysis, the evolutionary characteristics of the LOX family were analyzed. The expression of cotton GhLOX homologous genes under cadmium stress and exogenous MeJA treatment was detected using RT-qPCR technology, and key candidate genes were screened. The results showed that a total of 30 GhLOX genes in upland cotton, 33 GbLOX genes in island cotton, 19 GaLOX genes in Asian cotton and 20 GrLOX genes in Raymond’s cotton were identified. The LOX family of the above four mentioned cotton species was classified into six subfamilies by using the phylogenetic evolutionary tree. Among them, the conserved motifs of most genes in the six subfamilies were identical, with each containing 10 motifs. The various subfamilies of LOX had similar genetic structures. The analysis results of cis-acting elements indicated that the cotton LOX gene family contained cis-acting elements related to jasmonic acid response. The expression pattern analysis results showed that the members of the GhLOX gene family had differential expressions in root, stem, leaf tissues, as well as under cold, heat, salt, and PEG stress conditions. Among them, GhLOX-03A and GhLOX-18D were the dominant expression genes responding to adverse conditions. The GhLOX homologous genes may participate in cotton cadmium stress response through jasmonic acid synthesis, and GhLOX-20D, GhLOX-22D and GhLOX-27D were the key candidate genes responding to cadmium stress.