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Abelmoschus esculentus
Selected images: Click on each image to see a larger version and details of the record View all images (3)
Photo: Bart Wursten
Bunga Ranger Camp, northwestern Gorongosa National Park.
Photo: Bart Wursten
Bunga Ranger Camp, northwestern Gorongosa National Park.
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Species details: Click on each item to see an explanation of that item (Note: opens a new window)
| Synonyms: |
Hibiscus esculentus L. |
| Common names: | Lady's fingers (English) Okra (English) |
| Frequency: | |
| Status: | Introduced |
| Description: |
Annual herb, up to 2 m, widely cultivated for its edible fruit. Leaves up to 25 cm, almost round in outline, deeply, palmately lobed, more or less densely hairy on both surfaces, particularly on the veins; margin serrate. Flowers in terminal clusters or solitary in the leaf axils, up to 8 cm in diameter, yellow with a purple centre. Epicalyx with 10-12 bracts, narrowly linear triangular, up to 25 mm. Fruit a capsule, more or less narrowly ellipsoid, up to 14 cm. |
| Notes: | |
| Derivation of specific name: | esculentus: edible |
| Habitat: | Disturbed places, such as areas formerly cultivated |
| Altitude range: | |
| Flowering time: | |
| Worldwide distribution: | Native of Tropical Asia, now widely cultivated throughout the tropics. |
| Mozambique distribution: | T,MS |
| Growth form(s): | Annual. |
| Endemic status: | |
| Red data list status: | |
| Insects associated with this species: | |
| Spot characters: | Display spot characters for this species |
| Content last updated: | Wednesday 3 January 2018 |
| Literature: |
Exell, A.W. (1961). Malvaceae Flora Zambesiaca 1(2) Pages 423 - 426. (Includes a picture). Mapaura, A. & Timberlake, J. (eds) (2004). A checklist of Zimbabwean vascular plants Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 33 Sabonet, Pretoria and Harare Page 60. |
Other sources of information about Abelmoschus esculentus:
Our websites:
Flora of Zambia: Abelmoschus esculentusFlora of Zimbabwe: Abelmoschus esculentus
Flora of Zimbabwe: cultivated Abelmoschus esculentus
External websites:
African Plants: A Photo Guide (Senckenberg): Abelmoschus esculentusAfrican Plant Database: Abelmoschus esculentus
BHL (Biodiversity Heritage Library): Abelmoschus esculentus
EOL (Encyclopedia of Life): Abelmoschus esculentus
GBIF (Global Biodiversity Information Facility): Abelmoschus esculentus
Google: Web - Images - Scholar
iNaturalist: Abelmoschus esculentus
IPNI (International Plant Names Index): Abelmoschus esculentus
JSTOR Plant Science: Abelmoschus esculentus
Mansfeld World Database of Agricultural and Horticultural Crops: Abelmoschus esculentus
Plants of the World Online: Abelmoschus esculentus
Tropicos: Abelmoschus esculentus
Wikipedia: Abelmoschus esculentus
| Home | > | List of families | > | Malvaceae subfamily Malvoideae | > | Abelmoschus | > | esculentus |