Jute (Corchorus olitorius)

Jute (Corchorus olitorius) is a plant species in the Malvaceae family. It is an annual herb that grows upright, reaching heights of up to 2 meters, and is typically highly branched. The stems are reddish, fibrous, and tough.

The leaves are arranged alternately and are simple. The stipules are narrowly triangular with long, pointed tips. The petioles (leaf stalks) are 0.5–7 cm long. The leaf blades are narrowly oblong, oblong, or elliptical—measuring 4–20 cm in length and 2–11 cm in width—with a cuneate (wedge-shaped) or obtuse base, often featuring setaceous (bristle-like) appendages up to 2.5 cm long. The leaf apex is acuminate to acute, and the margins are serrate or crenate. The leaves are nearly glabrous (smooth/hairless) and typically dark, glossy green, with 3–7 veins originating from the base of the blade.

The inflorescence consists of axillary clusters containing 1–4 flowers, accompanied by bracts. The flowers are bisexual, regular (radially symmetrical), typically with parts in multiples of 5, and borne on short pedicels. The sepals are distinct (free), narrowly obovate, and 5–7 mm long. The petals are also distinct, obovate, 5–7 mm long, yellow, and deciduous (falling off easily). There are numerous stamens. The ovary is superior, typically 5-locular (having 5 chambers), with a short style.

The fruit is a cylindrical capsule, reaching up to 10 cm in length; it is ribbed, possesses a short beak, and typically splits into 5 segments, containing numerous seeds. The seeds are angular, 1–3 mm long, and dark gray. Germination is epigeal. The hypocotyl measures 1–2 cm. The cotyledons are leaf-like, ranging from broadly elliptical to rounded, and are 3–8 mm long.

C. olitorius grows in grasslands, fallow land, abandoned areas, and near swamps, rivers, and lakes, at elevations of up to 1,750 meters. It grows optimally in hot and humid conditions, with temperatures between 25–32°C, a photoperiod of 11.5–12.5 hours, an average annual rainfall of 600–2000 mm, and sandy loam soil rich in organic matter.

The plant is utilized as a leafy vegetable characterized by a mucilaginous (slimy) texture. When cooked, the leaves produce a thick, sticky sauce, similar to okra. This sauce is used to make the consumption of cassava, sweet potatoes, and millet easier. The fruits can be dried and ground into a powder, which is then prepared into a similar mucilaginous sauce. The fruits are also cooked with ingredients such as cowpeas, pumpkin, taro leaves, sweet potatoes, milk, butter, or meat, and seasoned with chili and lemon.

Fibers extracted from the stems are used for packaging materials due to their strength, durability, low production cost, ease of manufacturing, and high availability. Whole stems are used as a raw material for pulp production. The roots are used to alleviate toothaches, and a decoction of the roots serves as a tonic. Leafy twigs are used to treat heart-related ailments, while an infusion of the leaves is used to relieve constipation. The seeds are used as a laxative and a febrifuge (fever reducer).

The leaves (per 100 g) contain 80.4 g of water (range: 74.2–91.1 g), 243 kJ (58 kcal) of energy, 4.5 g of protein, 0.3 g of fat, 12.4 g of carbohydrates, 2.0 g of fiber, 360 mg of calcium (Ca), 122 mg of phosphorus (P), 7.2 mg of iron (Fe), 6410 μg of β-carotene, 0.15 mg of thiamin, 0.53 mg of riboflavin, 1.2 mg of niacin, and 80 mg of ascorbic acid. The mucilage in the leaves is rich in uronic acids (65%) and consists of rhamnose, galactose, glucose, galacturonic acid, and glucuronic acid in a molar ratio of 1.0:0.2:0.2:0.9:1.7, along with 3.7% acetyl groups. The seeds are toxic to mammals and insects because they contain cardiac glycosides.

TAXON

Kingdom: Plantae
Phylum: Tracheophyta
Subphylum: Angiospermae
Class: Magnoliopsida
Order: Malvales
Family: Malvaceae
Subfamily: Grewioideae
Genus: Corchorus L. in Sp. Pl.: 530 (1753)
Species: Corchorus olitorius L. in Sp. Pl.: 529 (1753)

HETEROTYPIC SYNONYMS

Corchorus catharticus Blanco in Fl. Filip.: 442 (1837)
Corchorus decemangularis Roxb. ex G.Don in Gen. Hist. 1: 544 (1831)
Corchorus lanceolatus G.Don in Gen. Hist. 1: 543 (1831)
Corchorus longicarpus G.Don (1831)
Corchorus malchairii De Wild. in Études Fl. Bangala & Ubangi: 345 (1911)
Corchorus olitorius var. australiensis Domin in Biblioth. Bot. 22(89): 380 (1927)
Corchorus olitorius var. grandifolius De Wild. in Ann. Mus. Congo Belge, Bot., sér. 5, 2: 45 (1908)
Corchorus olitorius var. incisifolius Asch. & Schweinf. in Mém. Inst. Égypt. 2: 53 (1887)
Corchorus olitorius var. malchairii (De Wild.) R.Wilczek in Fl. Congo Belge 10: 86 (1963)
Corchorus quinquelocularis Moench in Methodus: 248 (1794)

PUBLICATIONS

Acevedo-Rodríguez, P. & Strong, M.T. (2012). Catalogue of seed plants of the West Indies. Smithsonian Contributions to Botany 98: 1-1192.

Akoègninou, A., van der Burg, W.J. & van der Maesen, L.J.G. (eds.) (2006). Flore Analytique du Bénin: 1-1034. Backhuys Publishers.

Audru, J., Cesar, J. & Lebrun, J.-P. (1994). Les Plantes Vasculaires de la République de Djibouti. Flore Illustrée 1: 1-336. CIRAD, Départerment d'Elevage et de Médecine vétérinaire, Djibouti.

Balkrishna, A. (2018). Flora of Morni Hills (Research & Possibilities): 1-581. Divya Yoga Mandir Trust.

Barry, J. P. & Celles, J.S. (1991). Flore de Mauritanie 1: 1-359. Centre Regional de Documentation Pedagogique, Nice.

Barua, K.N. & Khatry, P.K. (2009). Alien forest weeds in upper Brahmaputra valler and hill zones of Assam. Journal of Economic and Taxonomic Botany 33: 414-422.

Bosser, J. & al. (eds.) (1987). Flore des Mascareignes 51-62: 1. IRD Éditions, MSIRI, RBG-Kew, Paris.

Boudet, G., Lebrun, J.P. & Demange, R. (1986). Catalogue des plantes vasculaires du Mali: 1-465. Etudes d'Elevage et de Médecine Vétérinaire des Pays Tropicaux.

Boulos, L. (2000). Flora of Egypt 2: 1-352. Al Hadara Publishing, Cairo. Boulvert, Y. (1977). Catalogue de la Flore de Centrafrique 2(1): 1-85. ORSTROM, Bangui.

Browicz, K. (1981). Flora Iranica 148: 1-15. Naturhistorisches Museums Wien.

Brunel, J.F., Hiepo, P. & Scholz, H. (eds.) (1984). Flore Analytique du Togo Phanérogames: 1-751. GTZ, Eschborn.

Catarino, L., Sampaio Martins, E., Pinto-Basto, M.F. & Diniz, M.A. (2006). Plantas Vasculares e Briófitos da Guiné-Bissau: 1-298. Instituto de investigação científica tropical, Instituto Português de apoio ao desenvolvimento.

Chou, S., Chhnang, P. & Kim, Y. (2016). A Checklist for the Seed Plants of Cambodia: 1-272. National Institute of Biological Resources, Korea.

Collenette, S. (1999). Wildflowers of Saudi Arabia: 1-799. National commission for wildlife conservation and development (NCWCD), Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Danin, A. & Fragman- Sapir, O. (2019). Flora of Israel Online http://flora.org.il/en/plants.

Darbyshire, I., Kordofani, M., Farag, I., Candiga, R. & Pickering, H. (eds.) (2015). The Plants of Sudan and South Sudan: 1-400. Kew publishing, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

Dobignard, A. & Chatelain, C. (2012). Index synonymique de la flore d'Afrique du nord 4: 1-431. Éditions des conservatoire et jardin botaniques, Genève.

Edwards, S., Tadesse, M. & Hedberg, I. (eds.) (1995). Flora of Ethiopia and Eritrea 2(2): 1-456. The National Herbarium, Addis Ababa University, Ethiopia & The Department of Systematic Botany, Upps.

Exell, A.W., Fernandes, A. & Wild, H. (eds.) (1963). Flora Zambesiaca 2(1): 1-351. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

Figueiredo, E. & Smith, G.F. (2008). Plants of Angola. Strelitzia 22: 1-279. National Botanical Institute, Pretoria.

Figueiredo, E., Paiva, J., Stévart, T., Oliveira, F. & Smith, G.F. (2011). Annotated catalogue of the flowering plants of São Tomé and Príncipe. Bothalia, A Journal of Botanical Research 41: 41-82.

Ghazanfar, S.A. (1992). An Annotated Catalogue of the Vascular Plants of Oman and their Vernacular names. Scripta Botanica Belgica 2: 1-153.

Gosline, G., Bidault, E., van der Burgt, X., Cahen, D., Challen, G., Condé, N., Couch, C., Couvreur, T.L.P., Dagallier, L.M.J., Darbyshire, I., Dawson, S., Doré, T.S., Goyder, D., Grall, A., Haba, P., Haba, P., Harris, D., Hind, D.J.N., Jongkind, & al. (2023). A Taxonomically-verified and Vouchered Checklist of the Vascular Plants of the Republic of Guinea. Nature, scientific data 10, Article number: 327: [1]-[12].

Govaerts, R. (1999). World Checklist of Seed Plants 3(1, 2a & 2b): 1-1532. MIM, Deurne.

Hutchinson, J., Dalziel, J.M. & Keay, R.W.J. (1954-1958). Flora of West Tropical Africa, ed. 2, 1: 1-828.

Iwatsuki, K., Boufford, D.E. & Ohba, H. (eds.) (1999). Flora of Japan IIc: 1-328. Kodansha Ltd., Tokyo.

Jones, M. (1991). A checklist of Gambian plants: 1-33. Michael Jones, The Gambia College.

Jongbloed, M., Western, R.A. & Boer, B. (2000). Annotated Check-list for plants in the U.A.E.: 1-90. Zodiac Publishing, Dubai.

Kotiya, A., Solanki, Y. & Reddy, G.V. (2020). Flora of Rajasthan: 1-769. Rajasthan state biodiversity board.

Kress, W.J., DeFilipps, R.A., Farr, E. & Kyi, D.Y.Y. (2003). A Checklist of the Trees, Shrubs, Herbs and Climbers of Myanmar. Contributions from the United States National Herbarium 45: 1-590. Smithsonian Institution.

Kumar, S. (2012). Herbaceous flora of Jaunsar-Bawar (Uttarkhand), India: enumerations. Phytotaxonomy 12: 33-56.

Lebrun, J.P., Toutain, B., Gaston, A. & Boudet, G. (1991). Catalogue des Plantes Vasculaires du Burkina Faso: 1-341. Institut d' Elevage et de Médecine Vétérinaire des Pays Tropicaux, Maisons Alfort.

Lejoly, J. & Geerinck, D. (2010). Flore de la Tshopo (RD Congo): Familles des Malvaceae, Orchidaceae, Sterculiaceae, Tiliaceae. Taxonomania 29: 1-41.

Lê, T.C. (2003). Danh lục các loài thực vật Việt Nam 2: 1-1203. Hà Nội : Nhà xuất bản Nông nghiệp.

Maliya, S.D. & Datt, B. (2010). A contribution to the flora of Katarniyaghat wildlife sanctuary, Baharaich district, Uttar Pradesh. Journal of Economic and Taxonomic Botany 34: 42-68.

Mao, A.A. & Dash, S.S. (2020). Flowering Plants of India an Annotated Checklist (Dicotyledons) 1: 1-970. Botanical Survey of India.

Meena, S.L. (2012). A checklist of the vascular plants of Banaskantha district, Gujarat, India. Nelumbo 54: 39-91.

Mosti, S., Raffaelli, M. & Tardelli, M. (2012). Contributions to the flora of central-southern Dhofar (Sultanate of Oman). Webbia; Raccolta de Scritti Botanici 67: 65-91.

Musselman, L.J. (2011). Checklist of Plants of Lebanon and Syria http://ww2.odu.edu/~lmusselm/plant/lebsyria/Checklist of Lebanon Plants.pdf.

Nasir, E. & Ali, S.I. (eds.) (1970-1995). Flora of West Pakistan 1-131.

Newman, M., Ketphanh, S., Svengsuksa, B., Thomas, P., Sengdala, K., Lamxay, V. & Armstrong, K. (2007). A checklist of the vascular plants of Lao PDR: 1-394. Royal Botanic Gardens, Edinburgh.

Onana, J.M. (2011). The vascular plants of Cameroon a taxonomic checklist with IUCN assessments: 1-195. National herbarium of Cameroon, Yaoundé.

Pandey, R.P. & Dilwakar, P.G. (2008). An integrated check-list flora of Andaman and Nicobar islands, India. Journal of Economic and Taxonomic Botany 32: 403-500.

Peyre de Fabregues, B. & Lebrun, J.-P. (1976). Catalogue des Plantes Vascularies du Niger: 1-433. Institut d' Elevage et de Médecine Vétérinaire des Pays Tropicaux, Maisons Alfort.

Robyns, W. & al. (eds.) (1948-1963). Flore du Congo Belge et du Ruanda-Urundi 1-10.

Shishkin, B.K. (ed.) (1950). Flora Turkmenii 5: 1-271. Turkmenskoe gosudarstvennoe izd., Ashkhabad.

Sikarwar, R.L.S. (2014). Angiosperm diversity assessment of Chitrakootthe legendary place of Vindhyan range, India. Journal of Economic and Taxonomic Botany 38: 563-619.

Sita, P. & Moutsambote, J.-M. (2005). Catalogue des plantes vasculaires du Congo, ed. sept. 2005: 1-158. ORSTOM, Centre de Brazzaville.

Townsend, C.C. & Guest, E. (eds.) (1980). Flora of Iraq 4(1): 1-628. Ministry of Agriculture & Agrarian Reform, Baghdad.

Turner, I.M. (1995 publ. 1997). A catalogue of the Vascular Plants of Malaya. Gardens' Bulletin Singapore 47(2): 347-655.

Vvedensky, A.I. (ed.) (1959). Flora Uzbekistana 4: 1-507. Izd-va Akademii nauk Uzbekskoi SSR, Tashkent.

Whitehouse, C., Cheek, M., Andrews, S. & Verdcourt, B. (2001). Flora of Tropical East Africa, Tiliaceae & Muntingiaceae: 1-120.

Wiriadinata, H., Girmansyah, D., Hunter, J.M., Hoover, W.S. & Kartawinata, K. (2013). Floristic study of West Sumbawa, Indonesia. Reinwardtia 13: 391-404.

Wood, J.R.I. (1997). A handbook of the Yemen Flora: 1-434. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

Wu, Z., Raven, P.H. & Hong, D. (eds.) (2007). Flora of China 12: 1-534. Science Press (Beijing) & Missouri Botanical Garden Press (St. Louis).

von Raab-Straube, E. & Raus, T. (eds.) (2019). Euro+Med-Checklist Notulae, 9. Willdenowia 48: 195-220.

VERNACULAR NAME

Acholi: Otigo
Arabic: جوت - خبازة الجوت - جوت نالتا
Assamese: Mara shaak, Tita mara
Bengali: ভুঙ্গিপাত - মিঠা পাত Bhungipat, Meetha pat
Chewa: Thelele
Chinese (simplified): 长蒴黄麻
Chinese (traditional): 山麻
English: Jute, Indian Jute, Jute mallow, Jew's mallow, Mallow leaves, Nalita jute, Jute leaves, Tossa jute, Saluyot, West African sorrel, Bush okra, Bristly-leaved Jew's mallow
Filipino: Saluyot
Finnish: Intianjuutti
French Corète potagère, Jute potager, Mauve des Juifs, Craincrain, Krinkrin
Gujarati: Chhunchho, Chunchio
Hebrew: מלוכיה נאכלת
Hindi: पट - पट-सग - मीठापट। मीठा पात - पात - पात-सग - पातसन - पात - तोष पात Pat, Pat-sag, Mithapat. Mitha paat, Paat, Pat-sag, Patsan, Patta, Tosha paat
Indonesia: Molokhia, Bayam yahudi, Bayam mesir
Japanese: タイワンツナソ
Java: Bayem mesir
Kalorgu: Ndabandan
Kannada: Chunchali, Chunchali gida
Konkani: Banpat
Luo: Apoth
Manipuri: Limon
Marathi: Motichhunchh, Banpat, Mothi chunch
Ndebele: Idelele
Nepali: प्याट Pat
Oriya: Kaunria
Polish: Juta kolorowa
Russian: Джут длинноплодный
Sanskrit: Mahachanchu, Pattashaakah
Sepedi: Thelele
Shona: Derere, Gusha, Nyenje
Slovak: Juta dlhoplodá
Sotho (Northern): Thelele
Swati: Ligusha
Swedish: Tossajute
Tagalog: Saluyot
Tamil: புனகு - பேரட்டி, கட்டுட்டு - பெரும்பின்னக்கீரை Punaku, Peratti, Kattuttuti, Perumpinnakkukkirai
Telugu: Parinta, Perantalikura
Teso: Atigo
Thai: ปอกระเจาฝักยาว
Tonga: Ibbuyu, Muteezi
Tsonga: Gushe, Guxe
Tswana: Delele
Turkish: Mühliye
Yaruba: Ewedu

Aryo Bandoro
Dlium TheDlium
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Dlium