Abelmoschus angulosus

Wall. ex Wight & Arn.

Malvaceae Edible: Flower Potential hazards — see below 14 iNaturalist observations

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Summary

Abelmoschus angulosus is a plant species in the family Malvaceae, found in the Indian subcontinent, Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam and Indonesia. It grows in temperate and wet regions between 750 and 2000 m, and is the only wild species of the genus Abelmoschus with a notable tolerance to low temperatures and light frost.

Description

A shrub or small tree. It grows 5 m tall. There are prickles along the stem. The leaves are twice divided and there are 8-18 pairs of pinnae. There are up to 50 pairs of pinnules on each pinnae. The flowers are yellow. They are in large clusters at the ends of branches. The pods are flattened.

Edible Uses

The flowers are eaten.

Known Hazards

The plant has prickles along the stem.

Distribution

It is a tropical plant. It grows between 750-2,000 m above sea level.

Where It Grows

Asia, Cambodia, India, Indonesia, Laos, Pakistan, SE Asia, Sri Lanka, Vietnam,

Cultivation

It is used as a hedge.

Other Uses

Abelmoschus angulosus is a tertiary genetic relative of, and potential gene donor to okra, Abelmoschus esculentus (L.) Moench. It has confirmed potential disease resistance to yellow vein mosaic virus and powdery mildew. The plant is grown as a hedge, especially in Java.

Synonyms

Abelmoschus angulosus var. grandiflorus ThwaitesBamia angulosa Wall.and others

Also Known As

Kattuvenda

References (1)

Ratheesh Narayanan, M. K. et al, 2011, Wild edible plants used by the Kattunaikka, Paniya and Kuruma tribes of Wayanad District, Kerala, India. Journal of Medicinal Plants Research Vol. 5(15), pp. 3520-3529