Abelmoschus

Abelmoschus

taxobox
name = "Abelmoschus"



image_caption = "Abelmoschus esculentus" leaves, flower buds and young fruit
regnum = Plantae
unranked_divisio = Angiosperms
unranked_classis = Eudicots
unranked_ordo = Rosids
ordo = Malvales
familia = Malvaceae
genus = "Abelmoschus"
genus_authority = Medik.
subdivision_ranks = Species
subdivision = See text.|

"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 genus.

The genus comprises annual and perennial herbaceous plants, growing to 2 m tall. The leaves are 10-40 cm long and broad, palmately lobed with 3-7 lobes, the lobes very variable in depth, from barely lobed, to cut almost to the base of the leaf. The flowers 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 is a capsule, 5-20 cm long, containing numerous seeds.

"Abelmoschus" species are used as food plants by the larvae of some Lepidoptera species including "Chionodes hibiscella" which has been recorded on "A. moschatus".

;Selected Species
*"Abelmoschus caillei" - (syn. "Hibsicus manihot" var. "caillei"). West African okra
*"Abelmoschus esculentus" - (syn. "Hibiscus esculentus"). Okra
*"Abelmoschus manihot" - (syn. "Hibiscus manihot"). Aibika
*"Abelmoschus moschatus" - (syn. "Hibiscus abelmoschus"). Musk Mallow

Uses

Several species are edible, with both the young seed pods and the young leaves being eaten as a vegetable. The most important commercially-grown species is Okra.

"Abelmoschus manihot" (aibika) furnishes cordage like jute, and "Abelmoschus moschatus" (musk mallow) is grown for musk seeds (musk ambrette, which causes photoallergy).

References

*Kundu BC, Biswas C. 1973. Anatomical characters for distinguishing the genera "Abelmoschus" and "Hibiscus". "Proc. Indian Sci. Congr." 60. (3): 295


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Look at other dictionaries:

  • Abelmoschus — Abelmoschus …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Abelmoschus — n. 1. 1 genus of tropical coarse herbs having large lobed leaves and often yellow flowers. Syn: genus Abelmoschus [WordNet 1.5] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Abelmoschus — Medik., Gattung der Malvazeen, meist einjährige, hohe, oft bestachelte Kräuter mit ganzen oder gelappten Blättern, einzeln achselständigen Blüten, sehr verlängerter, zugespitzter Kapsel und kahlen Samen. 10–12 Arten in wärmern Ländern der Alten… …   Meyers Großes Konversations-Lexikon

  • Abelmoschus — Bisameibisch Bisamstrauch (Abelmoschus moschatus), Illustration Systematik Unterklasse: Ros …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Abelmoschus —   Abelmoschus Abelmoschus …   Wikipedia Español

  • Abelmoschus — Abelmoschus …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Abelmoschus — noun genus of tropical coarse herbs having large lobed leaves and often yellow flowers • Syn: ↑genus Abelmoschus • Hypernyms: ↑dilleniid dicot genus • Member Holonyms: ↑Malvaceae, ↑family Malvaceae, ↑mallow family …   Useful english dictionary

  • Abelmoschus — Abel|mo|schus 〈m.; ; unz.; Bot.〉 zur Gattung der Malvazeen gehöriger trop. Strauch [nlat. <arab. abu al misk „Vater des Moschus“] * * * Abel|mọ|schus [auch: a:bl̩… ], der; , se [nlat. abelmoschus < arab. abū l misk = Vater des Moschus]:… …   Universal-Lexikon

  • Abelmoschus — ID 3 Symbol Key ABELM Common Name okra Family Malvaceae Category Dicot Division Magnoliophyta US Nativity N/A US/NA Plant Yes State Distribution CT, DC, FL, HI, IL, KY, LA, MD, MI, MS, NC, PR, SC, VA, VI Growth Habit N/A …   USDA Plant Characteristics

  • Abelmoschus moschatus — Scientific classification Kingdom: Plantae (unranked) …   Wikipedia

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