''Abelmoschus'' is a genus of about fifteen species of

flowering plant Flowering plants are plants that bear flowers and fruits, and form the clade Angiospermae (). The term angiosperm is derived from the Ancient Greek, Greek words (; 'container, vessel') and (; 'seed'), meaning that the seeds are enclosed with ...

s in the mallow family (

Malvaceae Malvaceae (), or the mallows, is a family of flowering plants estimated to contain 244 genera with 4225 known species. Well-known members of economic importance include Theobroma cacao, cacao, Cola (plant), cola, cotton, okra, Hibiscus sabdariffa, ...

), native to tropical

Africa Africa is the world's second-largest and second-most populous continent after Asia. At about 30.3 million km2 (11.7 million square miles) including adjacent islands, it covers 20% of Earth's land area and 6% of its total surfac ...

Asia Asia ( , ) is the largest continent in the world by both land area and population. It covers an area of more than 44 million square kilometres, about 30% of Earth's total land area and 8% of Earth's total surface area. The continent, which ...

and northern

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country comprising mainland Australia, the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania and list of islands of Australia, numerous smaller isl ...

. It was formerly included within ''

Hibiscus ''Hibiscus'' is a genus of flowering plants in the Malva, mallow family, Malvaceae. The genus is quite large, comprising List of Hibiscus species, several hundred species that are Native plant, native to warm temperate, Subtropics, subtropical ...

'', but is now classified as a distinct genus. The genus name derives from Arabic meaning 'father of musk' or 'source of musk' referring to the scented seeds. The genus comprises

annual Annual may refer to: *Annual publication, periodical publications appearing regularly once per year **Yearbook **Literary annual *Annual plant *Annual report *Annual giving *Annual, Morocco, a settlement in northeastern Morocco *Annuals (band), a ...

and

perennial In horticulture, the term perennial ('' per-'' + '' -ennial'', "through the year") is used to differentiate a plant from shorter-lived annuals and biennials. It has thus been defined as a plant that lives more than 2 years. The term is also ...

herbaceous Herbaceous plants are vascular plants that have no persistent woody stems above ground. This broad category of plants includes many perennials, and nearly all annuals and biennials. Definitions of "herb" and "herbaceous" The fourth edition of ...

plants, growing to 2 m tall. The

leaves A leaf (: leaves) is a principal appendage of the stem of a vascular plant, usually borne laterally above ground and specialized for photosynthesis. Leaves are collectively called foliage, as in "autumn foliage", while the leaves, stem, ...

are 10–40 cm long and broad, palmately lobed with 3-7 lobes, the lobes are very variable in depth, from barely lobed, to cut almost to the base of the leaf. The

flower Flowers, also known as blooms and blossoms, are the reproductive structures of flowering plants ( angiosperms). Typically, they are structured in four circular levels, called whorls, around the end of a stalk. These whorls include: calyx, m ...

s are 4–8 cm diameter, with five white to yellow petals, often with a red or purple spot at the base of each petal. The

fruit In botany, a fruit is the seed-bearing structure in flowering plants (angiosperms) that is formed from the ovary after flowering. Fruits are the means by which angiosperms disseminate their seeds. Edible fruits in particular have long propaga ...

is a capsule, 5–20 cm long, containing numerous

seed In botany, a seed is a plant structure containing an embryo and stored nutrients in a protective coat called a ''testa''. More generally, the term "seed" means anything that can be Sowing, sown, which may include seed and husk or tuber. Seeds ...

s. ''Abelmoschus'' species are used as food plants by the

larva A larva (; : larvae ) is a distinct juvenile form many animals undergo before metamorphosis into their next life stage. Animals with indirect development such as insects, some arachnids, amphibians, or cnidarians typically have a larval phase ...

e of some

Lepidoptera Lepidoptera ( ) or lepidopterans is an order (biology), order of winged insects which includes butterflies and moths. About 180,000 species of the Lepidoptera have been described, representing 10% of the total described species of living organ ...

species including ''

Chionodes hibiscella ''Chionodes hibiscella'' is a moth in the family Gelechiidae. It is found in North America, where it has been recorded from Connecticut and Illinois to South Carolina, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas. The wingspan is 16–17 mm. The costal ...

'' which has been recorded on ''A. moschatus''.

Species

Plants of the World Online Plants of the World Online (POWO) is an online taxonomic database published by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. History Following the Convention on Biological Diversity, the Royal Botanic Gardens in Kew launched Plants of the World Online i ...

'' currently includes:Plants of the World Online: ''Abelmoschus'' Medik. (retrieved 8 August 2021)
/ref> # ''

Abelmoschus angulosus ''Abelmoschus angulosus'' is a plant species in the family Malvaceae, found in the Indian Subcontinent, Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam and Indonesia. It grows in temperate and wet regions between 750 and 2000 m, and is the only wild species of the ...

'' Wall. ex Wight & Arn. # ''

Abelmoschus caillei ''Abelmoschus caillei'', the West African okra, is a plant species in the family Malvaceae. It occurs in humid areas of West and Central Africa, where it is used as a vegetable.Grubben, G.J.H. & Denton, O.A. (2004) Plant Resources of Tropical Afr ...

'' (A.Chev.) Stevels – (syn. ''Hibiscus manihot'' var. ''caillei''). West African okra # ''

Abelmoschus crinitus ''Abelmoschus crinitus'' is a species of flowering plant belonging to the mallow family. It was first described by Nathaniel Wallich in 1830. Habitat ''A. crinitus'' is native to China, the Philippines, India, Laos, Myanmar, Nepal, Thailand, Vi ...

'' Wall. – (syb. ''Hibiscus crinitus'') # ''

Abelmoschus enbeepeegearensis ''Abelmoschus'' is a genus of about fifteen species of flowering plants in the mallow family (Malvaceae), native to tropical Africa, Asia and northern Australia. It was formerly included within ''Hibiscus'', but is now classified as a distinct g ...

'' K.J.John, Scariah, Nissar, K.V.Bhat & S.R.Yadav # ''

Abelmoschus esculentus Okra (, ), ''Abelmoschus esculentus'', known in some English-speaking countries as lady's fingers, is a flowering plant in the mallow family native to East Africa. Cultivated in tropical, subtropical, and warm temperate regions around the wo ...

'' (L.) Moench – (syn. ''Hibiscus esculentus'').

Okra Okra (, ), ''Abelmoschus esculentus'', known in some English-speaking countries as lady's fingers, is a flowering plant in the Malvaceae, mallow family native to East Africa. Cultivated in tropical, subtropical, and warm temperate regions aro ...

# ''

Abelmoschus ficulneus ''Abelmoschus ficulneus'' is a species of flowering plant in the genus ''Abelmoschus'' of the family Malvaceae. It is commonly known as the "white wild musk mallow" or native rosella, it is a fibrous perennial with a woody stem. Its flowers bl ...

'' (L.) Wight & Arn. – (syn. ''Hibiscus ficulneus''). White wild musk mallow # '' Abelmoschus hostilis'' (Wall. ex Mast.) M.S.Khan & M.S.Hussain # ''

Abelmoschus manihot ''Abelmoschus manihot'', commonly known as aibika, is a flowering plant in the family Malvaceae. It is a tropical subshrub or shrub native to the Indian subcontinent, Indochina, central and southern China, Malesia, New Guinea, and Queensland. It ...

'' (L.) Medik. – (syn. ''Hibiscus manihot'').

Aibika ''Abelmoschus manihot'', commonly known as aibika, is a flowering plant in the family Malvaceae. It is a tropical subshrub or shrub native to the Indian subcontinent, Indochina, central and southern China, Malesia, New Guinea, and Queensland. It ...

# '' Abelmoschus moschatus'' Medik. – (syn. ''Hibiscus abelmoschus''). Abelmosk # '' Abelmoschus muliensis'' K.M.Feng # '' Abelmoschus palianus'' Sutar, K.V.Bhat & S.R.Yadav # '' Abelmoschus sagittifolius'' (Kurz) Merr.

Uses

Several species are edible, with both the young seed pods and the young leaves being eaten as a

vegetable Vegetables are edible parts of plants that are consumed by humans or other animals as food. This original meaning is still commonly used, and is applied to plants collectively to refer to all edible plant matter, including edible flower, flo ...

. The most important commercially-grown species is

okra Okra (, ), ''Abelmoschus esculentus'', known in some English-speaking countries as lady's fingers, is a flowering plant in the Malvaceae, mallow family native to East Africa. Cultivated in tropical, subtropical, and warm temperate regions aro ...

. ''Abelmoschus manihot'' (aibika) furnishes cordage like

jute Jute ( ) is a long, rough, shiny bast fibre that can be Spinning (textiles), spun into coarse, strong threads. It is produced from flowering plants in the genus ''Corchorus'', of the mallow family Malvaceae. The primary source of the fiber is ...

, and ''Abelmoschus moschatus'' (abelmosk) is grown for musk seeds (musk ambrette, a

musk Musk is a class of aromatic substances commonly used as base notes in perfumery. They include glandular secretions from animals such as the musk deer, numerous plants emitting similar fragrances, and artificial substances with similar odors. ' ...

substitute, which can cause

phytophotodermatitis Phytophotodermatitis, also known as berloque dermatitis,, margarita photodermatitis,, lime disease or lime phytodermatitis is a cutaneous phototoxic inflammatory reaction resulting from contact with a light-sensitizing botanical agent (such as ...

Gallery of different species

Abelmoschus sagittifolius at Kudayathoor.jpg, '' Abelmoschus sagittifolius'' in

Kerala Kerala ( , ) is a States and union territories of India, state on the Malabar Coast of India. It was formed on 1 November 1956, following the passage of the States Reorganisation Act, by combining Malayalam-speaking regions of the erstwhile ...

India India, officially the Republic of India, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area; the List of countries by population (United Nations), most populous country since ...

Abelmoschus manihot ssp tetraphyllus W IMG 2169.jpg, ''

'' ssp. ''tetraphyllus'' in

Goa Goa (; ; ) is a state on the southwestern coast of India within the Konkan region, geographically separated from the Deccan highlands by the Western Ghats. It is bound by the Indian states of Maharashtra to the north, and Karnataka to the ...

. Abelmoschus manihot ssp tetraphyllus W IMG 2166.jpg, ''

'' ssp. ''tetraphyllus'' in

. Abelmoschus manihot ssp tetraphyllus W IMG 2157.jpg, ''

'' ssp. ''tetraphyllus'' in

. Abelmoschus manihot ssp tetraphyllus W2 IMG 2157.jpg, ''

'' ssp. ''tetraphyllus'' in

. Abelmoschus ficulneus (Jungli Bhendi) leaves in Kawal, AP W IMG 2221.jpg, ''

'' leaves in

Kawal Wildlife Sanctuary Kawal Tiger Reserve is a Nature reserve, nature preserve located at Jannaram mandal of Mancherial district, Mancherial District (Old Adilabad district) in the Telangana state of India. The Government of India declared Kawal Wildlife Sanctuary to ...

. Abelmoschus ficulneus (Jungli Bhendi) leaves in Kawal, AP W IMG 2216.jpg, ''

'' leaves in

. Abelmoschus ficulneus (Jungli Bhendi) in Kawal, AP W IMG 2214.jpg, ''

'' flower in

. Abelmoschus ficulneus (Jungli Bhendi) fruit in Kawal, AP W IMG 2218.jpg, ''

'' fruit in

References

* Kundu BC, Biswas C. 1973. Anatomical characters for distinguishing the genera ''Abelmoschus'' and ''Hibiscus''. ''Proc. Indian Sci. Congr.'' 60. (3): 295 {{Authority control Malvaceae genera Paleotropical flora