Abelmoschus

Abelmoschus is a genus of about fifteen species of flowering plants in the mallow 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.

The genus comprises annual and perennial herbaceous plants, growing to 2 m tall. The leaves are 10–40 cm 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 4–8 cm 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, 5–20 cm long, containing numerous seeds.

Abelmoschus species are used as food plants by the larvae of some Lepidoptera species including Chionodes hibiscella which has been recorded on A. moschatus.

Species
Plants of the World Online currently includes:
 * 1) Abelmoschus angulosus Wall. ex Wight & Arn.
 * 2) Abelmoschus caillei (A.Chev.) Stevels – (syn. Hibiscus manihot var. caillei).  West African okra
 * 3) Abelmoschus crinitus Wall. – (syb. Hibiscus crinitus)
 * 4) Abelmoschus enbeepeegearensis K.J.John, Scariah, Nissar, K.V.Bhat & S.R.Yadav
 * 5) Abelmoschus esculentus (L.) Moench – (syn. Hibiscus esculentus). Okra
 * 6) Abelmoschus ficulneus (L.) Wight & Arn. – (syn. Hibiscus ficulneus). White wild musk mallow
 * 7) Abelmoschus hostilis (Wall. ex Mast.) M.S.Khan & M.S.Hussain
 * 8) Abelmoschus manihot (L.) Medik. – (syn. Hibiscus manihot). Aibika
 * 9) Abelmoschus moschatus Medik. – (syn. Hibiscus abelmoschus). Abelmosk
 * 10) Abelmoschus muliensis K.M.Feng
 * 11) Abelmoschus palianus Sutar, K.V.Bhat & S.R.Yadav
 * 12) Abelmoschus sagittifolius (Kurz) Merr.

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 manihot (aibika) furnishes cordage like jute, and Abelmoschus moschatus (abelmosk) is grown for musk seeds (musk ambrette, a musk substitute, which can cause phytophotodermatitis).