Abelmoschus esculentus

Name and publication

Abelmoschus esculentus (L.) Moench, Methodus 617 (1794).

Description

The fruit of okra, gumbo, or lady’s-fingers is a 6-30 cm long, cylindrical or finger-shaped, beaked, sparsely hairy or nearly glabrous (hairless) capsule, somewhat woody at maturity, with 5-10 valves (ribs). When wet, the seed exterior becomes sticky and mucilaginous (gelatinous).

Nativity and distribution

Abelmoschus esculentus is native to the Old World tropics but widely cultivated as a vegetable.

Family

Malvaceae

Synonymy

Hibiscus esculentus L.