Malvaceae FAMILY

Abelmoschus manihot

Edibility

3/5

Medicinal

2/5

Safety & Hazards

None known

Botanical Description

Abelmoschus manihot is a shrub growing up to 5 metres tall, though when growing at the limits of its range it can become annual in habit. The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a food, medicine and source of materials. It is often cultivated in the tropics and subtropics, especially in Asia and the Pacific Islands, both as an ornamental and for its edible leaves[ 200 Title The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. Publication Author Huxley. A. Publisher MacMillan Press Year 1992 ISBN 0-333-47494-5 Description Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed. , 298 Title Edible Leaves of the Tropics Publication Author Martin. F. W.; Ruberte. R. M. & Meitzner. L. S. Publisher Echo. USA. Year 1998 ISBN 0-9653360-1-8 Description A terse guide, giving reasonable detail on the more common leaf crops and brief information on a wide range of lesser known plants. , 300 Title Vegetables in the Tropics Publication Author Tindall. H. D. Publisher MacMillan, Oxford. Year 1983 ISBN 0-333-24268-8 Description An excellent, in-depth look at the main vegetable crops that can be grown in the Tropics, plus many less well-known plants. ].

Habitat & Origin

Origintemperate; tropical

Native RangeE. Asia - China, Pakistan, India, Nepal, Bhutan, Myanmar, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Philippines to New Guinea and Northern Australia.

HabitatWasteland and humid rocky hillsides[ 260 Title Conservatory and Indoor Plants Volumes 1 & 2 Publication Author Phillips. R. & Rix. M. Publisher Pan Books, London. Year 1998 ISBN 0-330-37376-5 Description Excellent photos of over 1,100 species and cultivars with habits and cultivation details plus a few plant uses. Many species are too tender for outdoors in Britain though there are many that can be grown outside. ]. In Nepal it grows at elevations of 700 - 1,700 metres in rocky places with shrubs[ 272 Title Plants and People of Nepal Publication Author Manandhar. N. P. Publisher Timber Press. Oregon. Year 2002 ISBN 0-88192-527-6 Description Excellent book, covering over 1,500 species of useful plants from Nepal together with information on the geography and peoples of Nepal. Good descriptions of the plants with terse notes on their uses. ]. Grasslands, near streams and margins of farm land[ 266 Title Flora of China Publication Author Website http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/china/ Publisher Missouri Botanical Garden Press; St. Louis. Year 1994 ISBN Description An excellent, comprehensive resource in 25 volumes. In addition to the botanical information the flora also gives basic information on habitat and some uses. An on-line version is also available. ].