Abelmoschus

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Genus of flowering plants in the family Malvaceae

title: "Abelmoschus" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["abelmoschus", "malvaceae-genera", "paleotropical-flora"] description: "Genus of flowering plants in the family Malvaceae" topic_path: "general/abelmoschus" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abelmoschus" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary Genus of flowering plants in the family Malvaceae ::

| image = Abelmoschus esculentus.jpg | image_caption = Abelmoschus esculentus leaves, flower buds and young fruit | display_parents = 2 | taxon = Abelmoschus | authority = Medik.{{cite web | url = http://www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/html/genus.pl?12 | title = Abelmoschus | work = Germplasm Resources Information Network | publisher = United States Department of Agriculture | date = 2007-03-12 | access-date = 2009-02-20 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20150923221658/http://www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/html/genus.pl?12 | archive-date = 2015-09-23 | url-status = dead | 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 name derives from Arabic meaning 'father of musk' or 'source of musk' referring to the scented seeds.

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 are 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.

Species

Plants of the World Online currently includes:

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 (abelmosk) is grown for musk seeds (musk ambrette, a musk substitute, which can cause phytophotodermatitis).{{cite web | title = Wellness Library:Ambrette (Abelmoschus moschatus) | url = http://www.livingnaturally.com/ns/DisplayMonograph.asp?StoreID=3D9D155236034A5897378F7C5A033221&DocID=bottomline-ambrette | access-date = 2018-06-10 | archive-date = 2018-06-12 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20180612142042/http://www.livingnaturally.com/ns/DisplayMonograph.asp?StoreID=3D9D155236034A5897378F7C5A033221&DocID=bottomline-ambrette | url-status = dead

Gallery of different species

Abelmoschus sagittifolius at Kudayathoor.jpg|Abelmoschus sagittifolius in Kerala, India Abelmoschus manihot ssp tetraphyllus W IMG 2169.jpg|Abelmoschus manihot ssp. tetraphyllus in Goa, India. Abelmoschus manihot ssp tetraphyllus W IMG 2166.jpg|Abelmoschus manihot ssp. tetraphyllus in Goa, India. Abelmoschus manihot ssp tetraphyllus W IMG 2157.jpg|Abelmoschus manihot ssp. tetraphyllus in Goa, India. Abelmoschus manihot ssp tetraphyllus W2 IMG 2157.jpg|Abelmoschus manihot ssp. tetraphyllus in Goa, India. Abelmoschus ficulneus (Jungli Bhendi) leaves in Kawal, AP W IMG 2221.jpg|Abelmoschus ficulneus leaves in Kawal Wildlife Sanctuary, India. Abelmoschus ficulneus (Jungli Bhendi) leaves in Kawal, AP W IMG 2216.jpg|Abelmoschus ficulneus leaves in Kawal Wildlife Sanctuary, India. Abelmoschus ficulneus (Jungli Bhendi) in Kawal, AP W IMG 2214.jpg|Abelmoschus ficulneus flower in Kawal Wildlife Sanctuary, India. Abelmoschus ficulneus (Jungli Bhendi) fruit in Kawal, AP W IMG 2218.jpg|Abelmoschus ficulneus fruit in Kawal Wildlife Sanctuary, India.

References

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

References

  1. Coombes, Allen J.. (2012). "The A to Z of plant names : a quick reference guide to 4000 garden plants". Timber Press.
  2. Morison, R. (1680). [https://bibdigital.rjb.csic.es/viewer/14341/?offset=#page=545&viewer=picture&o=bookmark&n=0&q= ''Plantarum historiae universalis Oxoniensis'' t.2: 533]; Morison states that according to [[Prospero Alpini]], the Egyptians called the plant "mosch", and the seed "abelmosch". He also states that the plant and the flowers smell of musk, but the seeds much stronger. [[Friedrich Kasimir Medikus]] took his name from ''Hibiscus'' n°18 in the second edition of Linnaeus's ''[[Species plantarum]]'' (see: [https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k96902f/f47.item ''Über einige künstliche Geschlechter aus der Malven-Familie'': 46]) and Linnaeus in his turn, citing his own ''[[Hortus Cliffortianus]]'' (see: [https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/11834367 ''Species plantarum'' ed.2: 980]), took the name from Morison (see: [https://bibdigital.rjb.csic.es/viewer/11198/?offset=1#page=343&viewer=picture&o=bookmark&n=0&q= ''Hortus Cliffortianus'': 349], last line of the page).
  3. "Abelmoschus Medik. {{!}} Plants of the World Online {{!}} Kew Science".

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