Abelmoschus is a genus of about fifteen species of flowering plants in the 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.Morison, R. (1680). 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: Über einige künstliche Geschlechter aus der Malven-Familie: 46) and Linnaeus in his turn, citing his own Hortus Cliffortianus (see: Species plantarum ed.2: 980), took the name from Morison (see: Hortus Cliffortianus: 349, last line of the page).
Abelmoschus species are used as food plants by the larvae of some Lepidoptera species including Chionodes hibiscella which has been recorded on A. moschatus.
Description The genus comprises annual and perennial herbaceous plants, growing to tall. The leaves are 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 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, long, containing numerous seeds.
Species , Plants of the World Online accepts the following species:
Name/Author Year described Year published Common name Abelmoschus angulosus 1834 Abelmoschus caillei 1940 1988 West African okra Abelmoschus crinitus 1830 Abelmoschus enbeepeegearensis 2013 Abelmoschus esculentus 1753 1794 okra Abelmoschus ficulneus 1753 1833 white wild musk mallow Abelmoschus hostilis 1874 2001 Abelmoschus manihot 1753 1787 aibika Abelmoschus moschatus 1787 abelmosk Abelmoschus muliensis 1982 Abelmoschus odishae 2023 Abelmoschus palianus 2013 Abelmoschus rhodopetalus 1861 Abelmoschus tuberculatus 1952
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 esculentus).
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).
Gallery of different species
References
Kundu BC, Biswas C. 1973. Anatomical characters for distinguishing the genera Abelmoschus and Hibiscus. Proc. Indian Sci. Congr. 60. (3): 295