Abelmoschus esculentus

(Linnaeus) Moench

Methodus, 617. 1794.

Common names: Okra gumbo lady’s finger
IllustratedIntroducedWeedy
Basionym: Hibiscus esculentus Linnaeus Sp. Pl. 2: 696. 1753
Treatment appears in FNA Volume 6. Treatment on page 220. Mentioned on page 188.

Plants 1–2 m. Stems often red blotched, coarse. Leaf-blades scarcely lobed to palmately divided, 10–25 cm, ± broader than long. Pedicels not articulated, stout; involucellar bractlets linear, to 2.5 cm. Flowers: corolla to 8 cm diam.; staminal column anther-bearing from near base, apex 5-toothed. Capsules cylindric, slightly 5-angled, beaked, 8–30 cm. 2n = 72, 108, 118, 120, 122, 130, 132, 144.


Phenology: Flowering spring–fall.
Habitat: Fertile, well-drained soil with ample moisture, waste places
Elevation: 0–30 m

Distribution

V6 386-distribution-map.jpg

Introduced; Fla., Ga., La., Miss., N.C., S.C., Va., s Asia, Africa, sw Pacific Islands, also in Mexico and elsewhere nearly worldwide

Discussion

Abelmoschus esculentus is a cultigen, apparently domesticated in India for the edible, unripe, succulent, mucilaginous young capsule and edible leaves; it may escape from commercial and garden cultivation and sometimes persist in waste places.

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

None.
... more about "Abelmoschus esculentus"
144 +, 132 +, 130 +, 122 +, 120 +, 118 +, 108 +  and 72 +
5-toothed +
David M. Bates +
(Linnaeus) Moench +
Hibiscus esculentus +
10 cm100 mm <br />0.1 m <br /> (25 cm250 mm <br />0.25 m <br />) +
scarcely lobed;palmately divided +
less broader than long +  and more +
asymmetric +  and symmetric +
dissected +, lobed +  and unlobed +
0 cm0 mm <br />0 m <br /> (2.5 cm25 mm <br />0.025 m <br />) +
5-angled;cylindric +
8 cm80 mm <br />0.08 m <br /> (30 cm300 mm <br />0.3 m <br />) +
indehiscent +  and loculicidal +
Okra +, gumbo +  and lady’s finger +
0 cm0 mm <br />0 m <br /> (8 cm80 mm <br />0.08 m <br />) +
Fla. +, Ga. +, La. +, Miss. +, N.C. +, S.C. +, Va. +, s Asia +, Africa +, sw Pacific Islands +  and also in Mexico and elsewhere nearly worldwide +
0–30 m +
sparse;copious +
pistillate +  and staminate +
unisexual +  and bisexual +
Fertile, well-drained soil with ample moisture, waste places +
axillary +  and terminal +
tough-fibrous +
connate +  and distinct +
simple +, stipulate +, sessile +, subsessile +  and petiolate +
distichous +  and alternate +
entire +  and serrate +
wedge--shaped +
3-40-carpellate +
(1-)2-many +
not articulated +
adnate +  and distinct +
Flowering spring–fall. +
hairy +  and glabrous +
reniform +
persistent +
Illustrated +, Introduced +  and Weedy +
sessile +  and subsessile +
red blotched +
filiform +, linear +  and capitate +
1-2 times number of carpels +
unbranched +  and branched +
Mallow +
Abelmoschus esculentus +
Abelmoschus +
species +
glabrate +  and densely hairy +
monoecious +, dioecious +  and hermaphroditic +
36 +, 34 +, 33 +, 30 +  and 29 +