Abelmosk (Abelmoschus moschatus) is a species of plant in the Malvaceae family. It is an annual shrub, growing up to 3.5 meters tall. Its stems are woody, cylindrical, erect, monopodial, and branched, green or brownish-green in color and have white hairs.
A. moschatus has single leaves with petioles up to 20 cm long and white hairs. The leaves are 5-20 cm wide, 3-7 lobed, heart-shaped at the base, pointed at the apex, serrated or smooth edges, and rough on the surface with white hairs.
The flowers are single, bell-shaped, up to 10 cm wide. The stamens are tubular and yellow, while the anthers are loose and black. The corolla is divided into five yellow petals.
The fruit is oval, green, five-cornered, with a pointed tip, and has white hairs that ripen to a blackish-brown color. The seeds are kidney-shaped, flat, grooved, hard, and blackish-brown. The root is single, round, branched, and yellowish-white.
Abelmosk grows wild in open spaces, vacant lots, abandoned land, or scattered in gardens and roadsides at elevations up to 650 meters. The seeds, leaves, and roots contain saponins and flavonoids. The leaves and seeds also contain tannins.
The seeds produce musk oil, which is used in cosmetics, liniments, and itching powders. The plant is also used as an antipyretic, diuretic, anti-inflammatory, and to draw out pus.
TAXON
Kingdom: Plantae
Phylum: Tracheophyta
Subphylum: Angiospermae
Class: Magnoliopsida
Order: Malvales
Family: Malvaceae
Subfamily: Malvoideae
Tribe: Hibisceae
Genus: Abelmoschus Medik. in Malvenfam.: 45 (1787)
Species: Abelmoschus moschatus Medik. in Malvenfam.: 46 (1787)
Subspecies: Abelmoschus moschatus ssp. moschatus, Abelmoschus moschatus ssp. tuberosus
HOMOTYPIC SYNONYMS
Abelmoschus abelmoschus (L.) H.Karst. in Deut. Fl., ed. 2, 2: 157 (1895)
Abelmoschus officinalis Endl. in Cat. Hort. Vindob. 2: 353 (1842)
Hibiscus abelmoschus L. in Sp. Pl.: 696 (1753)
Hibiscus abelmoschus var. genuinus Hochr. in Annuaire Conserv. Jard. Bot. Genève 4: 151 (1900)
Hibiscus moschatus (Medik.) Salisb. in Prodr. Stirp. Chap. Allerton: 384 (1796)
PUBLICATIONS
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VERNACULAR NAME
Arabic: حب المسك
Assamese: Gorokhiakarai
Bengali: কালকাস্তুরী - লতাকাস্তুরী - মুশকদান Kālakāsturī, Latākāsturī, Muśakadāna
Burmese: မော့စ်ပင်
Cebuano: Kamang
Chinese (simplified): 黄葵
Chinese (traditional): 黃葵 - 香葵
Czech: Ibiškovec pižmový
Dutch: Muskuszaad, Abelmos
English: Abelmosk, Musk Mallow, Musk Okra, Ornamental Okra, Yorka Okra, Rose Mallow, Tropical Jewel Hibiscus, Annual Hibiscus
Filipino: Dalupang, Kastuli, Kastiokastiokan
French: Ambrette, Gumbo musqué
German: Bisamstrauch
Hindi: जंगली भिंडी - लता कस्तूरी - कस्तूरी-दाना - मस्क धाना - मुश्कदाना Jangli bhindi, Lataakasthuree, Kastooree-daana, Mask dhaana, Mushkadaana
Indonesian: Kapasan
Italy: Ambretta
Japanese: リュウキュウトロロアオイ
Java: Kaworo, Kapasan, Regulo, Rewulow, Waron, Buka
Kannada: Kasthuri bende. Kasturi bende, Kaadu kastoori, Sataa kasturi
Khmer: រុក្ខជាតិម៉ូស
Lao: ຕົ້ນມອສກ໌
Madura: Kastore bukal
Malayalam: Kasturi-venta-vitta, Kattu-kasturi
Malaysia: Kapas hantu, Kapas hutan
Maluku: Kasturi
Manipuri: Bawrthsaisbe suak, Uichhuhlo
Marathi: Kasthooribhendi, Kasturi-bhendi, Muskadaana
Minang: Gandapura, Kapas sedaki
Nepali: लताकास्थुरी Latākāsthurī
Oria: Banobhindi
Pashto: مشکدانا Mashakdana
Russian: Абельмош мускусный
Sanskrit: Latakasturika
Sinhala: කට්ටු කස්තුරි - වෙට්රිලයි කස්තුරි Kaṭṭu kasturi, Veṭrilayi kasturi
Slovak: Ibištek pižmový
Spanish: Borraja asiática, Ambarina
Sunda: Kakapasan
Tamil: கட்டு கஸ்தூரி - வெற்றிலை கஸ்தூரி Kaṭṭu kastūri, Veṟṟilai kastūri
Tangkhul: Tawonrong
Telugu: Kasturi-benda-vittulu, Karpoorabenda, Kattukasthusri, Kasthurivenda, Lathakasthuri
Thai: ชะมดต้น
Urdu: مشک دانہ Mashak dana
Vietnam: Cây rêu
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