Abelmoschus moschatus

• Overview
• Common Names
• Description
• Biology
• Taxonomy
• Similar Species
• More Info
• Further Reading
• Notes

Overview

Herb. This plant is native to India, southern China, tropical Asia and into the Pacific. It is weedy in open and disturbed areas

Common Names

Click on the language to view common names.

Description

Family Malvaceae

Herbs, shrubs , or less often trees ; indumentum usually with peltate scales or stellate hairs . Leaves alternate, stipulate , petiolate ; leaf blade usually palmately veined, entire or various lobed . Flowers solitary, less often in small cymes or clusters , axillary or subterminal , often aggregated into terminal racemes or panicles, usually conspicuous , actinomorphic , usually bisexual (unisexual in Kydia) . Epicalyx often present, forming an involucre around calyx, 3- to many lobed. Sepals 5, valvate , free or connate . Petals 5, free, contorted, or imbricate, basally adnate to base of filament tube . Stamens usually very many, filaments connate into tube; anthers 1-celled. Pollen spiny . Ovary superior, with 2-25 carpels, often separating from one another and from axis; ovules 1 to many per locule; style as many or 2 × as many as pistils, apex branched or capitate. Fruit a loculicidal capsule or a schizocarp, separating into individual mericarps, rarely berrylike when mature (Malvaviscus) ; carpels sometimes with an endoglossum (a crosswise projection from back wall of carpel to make it almost completely septate . Seeds often reniform , glabrous or hairy , sometimes conspicuously so.

About 100 genera and ca. 1000 species: tropical and temperate regions of N and S Hemisphere; 19 genera (four introduced ) and 81 species (24 endemic, 16 introduced) in China.

Molecular studies have shown that the members of the Bombacaceae, Malvaceae, Sterculiaceae, and Tiliaceae form a very well-defined monophyletic group that is divided into ten also rather well-defined clades, only two of which correspond to the traditional families Bombacaceae and Malvaceae. Some of the remaining groups are included entirely within either of the remaining families but others cut across the traditional divide between the Sterculiaceae and Tiliaceae. A majority of authors , most notably Bayer and Kubitzki (Fam. Gen. Vasc. Pl. 5: 225-311. 2003), has favored including everything within a greatly enlarged Malvaceae, and treating the individual clades as subfamilies. The alternative view is that the individual clades should be treated as a series of ten families: Bombacaceae (Bombacoideae), Brownlowiaceae (Brownlowioideae), Byttneriaceae (Byttnerioideae), Durionaceae (Durionoideae), Helicteraceae (Helicteroideae), Malvaceae (Malvoideae), Pentapetaceae (Dombeyoideae), Sparrmanniaceae (Grewioideae), Sterculiaceae (Sterculioideae), and Tiliaceae (Tilioideae) (Cheek in Heywood et al. , Fl. Pl. Fam. World. 201-202. 2007) . For the present treatment, we prefer to retain the familiar, traditional four families, so as to maintain continuity with the treatments in FRPS, and to await a consensus on the two alternative strategies for dealing with the very widely accepted clades.

The traditional Malvaceae coincides exactly with one of the major clades. The only possible problem is the relationship with the Bombacaceae, which also has primarily 1-loculed anthers, and some authorities have suggested that the Bombacaceae should be included within the Malvaceae.

Members of the Malvaceae are important as fiber crops (particularly cotton, Gossypium) . Young leaves of many species can be used as vegetables, and species of Abelmoschus and Hibiscus are grown as minor food crops. Many species have attractive flowers and an ever-increasing selection is grown as ornamentals . Several have been cultivated for a very long time, particularly species of Hibiscus, and some of these are not known in the wild.[1]

Genus Abelmoschus

Herbs annual , biennial, or perennial , often hispid or tomentose , hairs often mostly simple . Leaves entire or palmately lobed . Flowers solitary, axillary , yellow or red. Epicalyx lobes 5-15, filiform , very rarely lanceolate, persistent . Calyx spathaceous , splitting along 1 side at anthesis , apex 5-toothed, caducous with corolla. Corolla with a dark red center, funnel-shaped; petals 5. Staminal column shorter than corolla, 5-toothed at apex, with anthers at base . Ovary 5-loculed; ovule many per locule; style single with 5 sessile capitate stigmas. Capsule elongate , loculicidal, pubescent or hispid. Seeds reniform or globose , many, glabrous , smooth .

About 15 species: tropical and subtropical regions in E Hemisphere; six species (one endemic, one introduced ) in China.[2]

Physical Description

Habitat

Typically found at an altitude of 0 to 1,919 meters (0 to 6,296 feet).[3]

Biome: disturbed areas, planted forests , riparian zones, wetlands

Biology

Reproduction

Seed

Growth

Culture: Space 24-36" apart.

Soil: Minimum pH: 5.6 • Maximum pH: 7.8

Sunlight: Sun Exposure: Full Sun .

Temperature: Cold Hardiness: 9a, 9b, 10a, 10b, 11. (map)

Taxonomy

Unambiguous Synonyms

1. Hibiscus abelmoschus L.

Notes

Name Status: Accepted Name . Latest taxonomic scrutiny: 15-Mar-2000

Place of publication : Malvenfam. 46. 1787

Name verified on 09-Mar-1995 by ARS Systematic Botanists. Last updated: 14-Jan-2006

Similar Species

Members of the genus Abelmoschus

ZipcodeZoo has pages for 167 species, subspecies, varieties, forms, and cultivars in this genus. Here are just 100 of them:

A. abelmoschus · A. achanioides · A. aculeatus · A. acuminatus · A. albo-ruber · A. alborubens · A. angulosus · A. angustifolius · A. aquaticus · A. ascendens · A. bammia · A. betulifolia · A. biakensis · A. brevicapsulatus · A. caillei (West African Okra) · A. cancellatus · A. chinensis · A. ciliaris · A. cisplatinus · A. coccineus · A. collinsianus · A. congener · A. crinitus · A. cruentus · A. cryptocarpus · A. cubensis · A. divaricatus · A. esculentus (Ladies´ Fingers) · A. esculentus 'Alabama Red' (Okra) · A. esculentus 'Annie Oakley' (Okra) · A. esculentus 'Annie Oakley Ii' (Okra) · A. esculentus 'Arabica' (Okra) · A. esculentus 'Aunt Hettie's Red' (Okra) · A. esculentus 'Baby Bubba' (Okra) · A. esculentus 'Beck's Big Buck Horn' (Okra) · A. esculentus 'Big'un' (Okra) · A. esculentus 'Blondie' (Okra) · A. esculentus 'Burgundy' · A. esculentus 'Burmese' (Okra) · A. esculentus 'Cajun Delight' (Okra) · A. esculentus 'Cajun Jewel' (Okra) · A. esculentus 'Chanchal' · A. esculentus 'Clemson Spineless' (Okra) · A. esculentus 'Clemson Spineless 80' · A. esculentus 'Cowhorn' (Okra) · A. esculentus 'Cowhorn 22' (Okra) · A. esculentus 'Dad Speegle's Special' (Okra) · A. esculentus 'Dwarf Green' · A. esculentus 'Emerald' (Okra) · A. esculentus 'Evertender' (Okra) · A. esculentus 'Ever Lucky' (Okra) · A. esculentus 'F696' (Okra) · A. esculentus 'F715' (Okra) · A. esculentus 'Fife Creek Cowhorn' (Okra) · A. esculentus 'Greennie' (Okra) · A. esculentus 'Greeny Splendor' · A. esculentus 'Green Best' (Okra) · A. esculentus 'Green Energy' (Okra) · A. esculentus 'Green Glory' (Okra) · A. esculentus 'Green Jewel' (Okra) · A. esculentus 'Green Power' (Okra) · A. esculentus 'Green Rocket' · A. esculentus 'Green Sparkler' · A. esculentus 'Hill Country Heirloom Red' (Okra) · A. esculentus 'Indiana' (Okra) · A. esculentus 'Jade' (Okra) · A. esculentus 'Jakkawad' (Okra) · A. esculentus 'James Hopper' (Okra) · A. esculentus 'Jet' (Okra) · A. esculentus 'Jimmy T' (Okra) · A. esculentus 'Jing Orange' (Okra) · A. esculentus 'Joy' (Okra) · A. esculentus 'Jubilee' (Okra) · A. esculentus 'Kakuhou' (Ornamental Okra) · A. esculentus 'Komal' · A. esculentus 'Lee' (Okra) · A. esculentus 'Lima' (Okra) · A. esculentus 'Little Lucy' (Okra) · A. esculentus 'Lomax' (Okra) · A. esculentus 'Louisiana Green Velvet' (Okra) · A. esculentus 'Lousiana Short' (Okra) · A. esculentus 'Lucky Five' (Okra) · A. esculentus 'Mac Green' (Okra) · A. esculentus 'Mexicana' (Okra) · A. esculentus 'My Joanie' (Okra) · A. esculentus 'Nirmal' · A. esculentus 'Okrazilla' (Ornamental Okra) · A. esculentus 'Orient Cannon' · A. esculentus 'Orient Galaxy' · A. esculentus 'Orient Rocket' · A. esculentus 'Pentagreen' (Okra) · A. esculentus 'Penta Dragon' (Okra) · A. esculentus 'Perkins Mammoth Long Pod' (Okra) · A. esculentus 'Pure Luck' (Okra) · A. esculentus 'Puso' (Okra) · A. esculentus 'Red Burgundy' (Okra) · A. esculentus 'Red Okra' (Okra) · A. esculentus 'Rouge De Thies' · A. esculentus 'Silver Queen' (Okra) · A. esculentus 'Sok 6101' (Okra)

More Info

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Further Reading

• Anales de la Sociedad Española de Historia Natural. Madrid: La Sociedad, ENG url p. 241.
• Annales botanices systematicae. Auctore Guilielmo Gerardo Walpers. Lipsiae, Sumtibus F. Hofmeister, 1848-68. LAT url p. 308.
• Annales de l'Institut colonial de Marseille. Marseille: Institut colonial de Marseille, -1906. FRE url p. 73.
• Bates, D. M. 1968. Notes on the cultivated Malvaceae 2. Abelmoschus. Baileya 16:104–107.
• Borssum Waalkes, J. v. 1966. Malesian Malvaceae revised. Blumea 14:90–95.
• Botanical Survey of India. 1978–. Fascicles of flora of India. (Fasc F India) 19:77.
• Bulletin of the British Museum (Natural History). London: BM(NH) url p. 187, p. 350.
• Chinese Academy of Sciences. 1959–. Flora reipublicae popularis sinicae. (F China)
• Dassanayake, M. D. & F. R. Fosberg, eds. 1980–. A revised handbook to the flora of Ceylon. (F Ceylon)
• Die Flora der deutschen Schutzgebiete in der Su?dsee /von Karl Schumann und Karl Lauterbach. 1901 Leipzig: verlag von Gebru?der Borntraeger, 1901 [i.e. 1900] GER url p. 439.
• Die Rohstoffe des Pflanzenreichs: versuch einer Technischen Rohstofflehre des Pflanzenreiches / Unter Mitwirkung von Max Bemberger, von Julius von Wiesner. Leipzig: W. Engelmann, 1914. GER url p. 672, p. 949.
• Duke, J. A. et al. 2002. CRC Handbook of medicinal herbs. (CRC MedHerbs ed2)
• Encke, F. et al. 1984. Zander: Handwörterbuch der Pflanzennamen, 13. Auflage. (Zander ed13)
• Flora of Peru: Sapindageae / by J. Francis Macbride. Chicago, [Ill.]: Field Museum of Natural History, [1956] ENG url p. 476.
• Hajra, P. K. et al., eds. 1999–. Flora of Andaman-Nicobar Islands. (F Andaman Nicobar)
• Hamburger Garten- und Blumenzeitung. Hamburg: R. Kittler, 1852-1890. GER url p. 337.
• Handbuch der systematischen botanik, mit besonderer berücksichtigung der arzneipflanzen. Bd. 1. Leipzig, H. Haessel, 1879. GER url p. 667.
• Hara, H. et al. 1978–1982. An enumeration of the flowering plants of Nepal. (L Nepal)
• Humbert, J.-H., ed. 1936–. Flore de Madagascar et des Comores. (F Madag)
• Icones plantarum formosanarum nec non et contributiones ad floram formosanam: or, Icones of the plants of Formosa, and materials for a flora of the island, based on a study of the collections of the Botanical survey of the Government of Formosa / By B. H Taihoku: Bureau of Productive Industry, Government of Formosa, 1911-1921. ENG url p. 251.
• Jahresbericht über die Fortschritte auf dem Gesamtgebiete der Agrikultur-Chemie. Berlin: Julius Springer, 1866-1919. GER url p. 158.
• Just's botanischer jahresbericht. Systematisch geordnetes repertorium der botanischen literatur aller länder. Berlin, Gebr. Borntraeger, 1874-98; GER url p. 1048, p. 118, p. 365, p. 463, p. 972.
• Last Modified: Wednesday, 29 December 2004
• Liberty Hyde Bailey Hortorium. 1976. Hortus third. (Hortus 3)
• McGuffin, M. et al., eds. 2000. Herbs of commerce, ed. 2. (Herbs Commerce ed2)
• Merrill, E. D. 1922–1926. An enumeration of Philippine flowering plants. (F Philipp)
• Nasir, E. & S. I. Ali, eds. 1970–. Flora of [West] Pakistan. (F Pak)
• Proceedings of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia. [Philadelphia, Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia] ENG url p. 367.
• Rehm, S. & G. Espig. 1991. The cultivated plants of the tropics and subtropics. (CultTropS)
• Scientific survey of Porto Rico and the Virgin Islands / New York Academy of Sciences. New York, N.Y.: The Academy, 1919- url p. 564.
• Sharma, B. D. et al., eds. 1993–. Flora of India. (F India)
• Still, S. M. 1994. Manual of herbaceous ornamental plants, ed. 4. (Man HerbPl)
• Symbolae Antillanae, seu, Fundamenta florae Indiae Occidentalis / edidit Ignatius Urban. Berolini: Fratres Borntraeger, 1898-1928. GER url p. 401.
• Systematische Untersuchungen ber die Vegetation der Karaiben, inbesondere der Insel Guadeloupe. Gttingen, Verlag der Dieterichschen Buchhandlung, 1857. GER url p. 30.
• The Bahama flora, by Nathaniel Lord Britton and Charles Frederick Millspaugh. New York, The authors, 1920. ENG url p. 272.
• The natural productions of Burmah: or, notes on the fauna, flora, and minerals of the Tenasserim provinces and the Burman empire / by Francis Mason. Maulmain: American Mission Press, 1850. ENG url p. 81.
• The vegetable kingdom: or, The structure, classification, and uses of plants, illustrated upon the natural system / by John Lindley. London: Bradbury and Evans, 1846. ENG url p. 369.
• Useful plants of the Siona and Secoya Indians of eastern Ecuador / William T. Vickers, Timothy Plowman. Chicago, Ill.: Field Museum of Natural History, 1984. ENG url p. 20, p. 61.
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• Feng Kuo-mei. 1984. Malvaceae. In: Feng Kuo-mei, ed., Fl. Reipubl. Popularis Sin. 49(2): 1-102.
• Feng Kuo-mei. 1984. Malvaceae. In: Feng Kuo-mei, ed., Fl. Reipubl. Popularis Sin. 49(2): 1-102.

Notes

Contributors

• Bisby, F.A., Y.R. Roskov, M.A. Ruggiero, T.M. Orrell, L.E. Paglinawan, P.W. Brewer, N. Bailly, J. van Hertum, eds (2007). Species 2000 & ITIS Catalogue of Life: 2007 Annual Checklist. Species 2000: Reading, U.K.
• Global Biodiversity Information Facility. Accessed November 12, 2007. http://www.gbif.org Mediated distribution data from 9 providers.
• USDA, ARS, National Genetic Resources Program. Germplasm Resources Information Network - (GRIN) [Online Database]. National Germplasm Resources Laboratory, Beltsville, Maryland. URL (May 04, 2008)

Data Sources

Accessed through GBIF Data Portal November 12, 2007:

• Botanical Research Institute of Texas, Andes to Amazon Biodiversity Program
• Herbarium of the University of Aarhus, The AAU Herbarium Database
• Herbier de la Guyane, Herbier de la Guyane
• Instituto Nacional de Biodiversidad
• , Biodiversidad de Costa Rica
• Missouri Botanical Garden, Missouri Botanical Garden
• National Herbarium of New South Wales, NSW herbarium collection
• National Herbarium of New South Wales, Plants of Papua New Guinea
• Taiwan Biodiversity Information Facility, Magnoliophyta
• USDA PLANTS, USDA PLANTS Database

Identifiers

• Biodiversity Heritage Library NamebankID: 2647748
• Catalogue of Life Accepted Name Code: ITS-21772
• Global Biodiversity Information Facility Taxonkey: 13741681
• Globally Unique Identifier: urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:558023-1
• GRIN Nomen Number: 623
• Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS) Taxonomic Serial Number (TSN): 21772
• International Plant Names Index (IPNI) ID: 558023-1
• Natural Heritage Network Species Identifier: PDMAL01030
• Zipcode Zoo Species Identifier: 167474

Footnotes

1. Ya Tang, Michael G. Gilbert & Laurence J. Dorr "Malvaceae". in Flora of China Vol. 12 Page 240, 264,299, 302. Published by Science Press (Beijing) and Missouri Botanical Garden Press. Online at EFloras.org. [back]
2. "Abelmoschus". in Flora of China Vol. 12 Page 264, 283, 286. Published by Science Press (Beijing) and Missouri Botanical Garden Press. Online at EFloras.org. [back]
3. Mean = 126.470 meters (414.928 feet), Standard Deviation = 864.160 based on 115 observations. Altitude information for each observation from British Oceanographic Data Centre. [back]

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