Ewedu

''Corchorus'' is a genus of about 40–100 species of flowering plants in the family Malvaceae, native to tropical and subtropical regions throughout the world.

Different common names are used in different contexts, with jute applying to the fiber produced from the plant, and jute mallow leaves for the leaves used as a vegetable.

Description

The plants are tall, usually annual herbs, reaching a height of 2–4 m, unbranched or with only a few side branches. The leaves are alternate, simple, lanceolate, 5–15 cm long, with an acuminate tip and a finely serrated or lobed margin. The flowers are small (2–3 cm diameter) and yellow, with five petals; the fruit is a many-seeded capsule.

Taxonomy

The genus ''Corchorus'' is classified under the subfamily Grewioideae of the family Malvaceae. It contains around 40 to 100 species.

The genus ''Oceanopapaver'', previously of uncertain placement, has recently been synonymized under ''Corchorus''. The name was established by André Guillaumin in 1932 for the single species ''Oceanopapaver neocaledonicum'' Guillaumin from New Caledonia. The genus has been classified in a number of different families including Capparaceae, Cistaceae, Papaveraceae, and Tiliaceae. The putative family name "Oceanopapaveraceae" has occasionally appeared in print and on the web but is a nomen nudum and has never been validly published nor recognised by any system of plant taxonomy.

The genus ''Corchorus'' was first described by Linnaeus in his great work ''Species Plantarum'' (1753). It is derived from the Ancient Greek word or ( or ) which referred to a wild plant of uncertain identity, possibly jute or wild asparagus.

Species

Species in the genus include:

* ''Corchorus aestuans'' L.
* '' Corchorus africanus'' Bari
* '' Corchorus angolensis'' Exell & Mendonça
* ''Corchorus aquaticus'' Rusby
* '' Corchorus argillicola'' Moeaha & P.J.D.Winter
* '' Corchorus asplenifmô0olius'' Burch.
* '' Corchorus aulacocarpus'' Halford
* '' Corchorus baldaccii'' Mattei
* '' Corchorus brevicornutus'' Vollesen
* ''Corchorus capsularis'' L.
* ''Corchorus carnarvonensis'' Halford
* ''Corchorus chrozophorifolius'' (Baill.) Burret
* ''Corchorus cinerascens'' Deflers
* '' Corchorus confusus'' Wild
* '' Corchorus congener'' Halford
* '' Corchorus cunninghamii'' F.Muell.
* '' Corchorus deccanensis'' H.B.Singh & M.V.Viswan.
* '' Corchorus depressus'' ( L.) Peterm.
* '' Corchorus elachocarpus'' F.Muell.
* '' Corchorus elderi'' F.Muell.
* ''Corchorus erodioides'' Balf.f.
* ''Corchorus fascicularis'' Lam.
* '' Corchorus foliosus'' Spreng.
* '' Corchorus gillettii'' Bari
* '' Corchorus hamatus'' Baker
* ''Corchorus hirsutus'' L.
* '' Corchorus hirtus'' L.
* '' Corchorus hygrophilus'' A.Cunn. ex Benth.
* '' Corchorus incanus'' Halford
* '' Corchorus junodii'' (Schinz) N.E.Br.
* '' Corchorus kirkii'' N.E.Br.
* '' Corchorus laniflorus'' Rye
* '' Corchorus lasiocarpus'' Halford
* '' Corchorus leptocarpus'' A.Cunn. ex Benth.
* ''Corchorus longipedunculatus'' Mast.
* '' Corchorus macropetalus'' (F.Muell.) Domin
* ''Corchorus macropterus'' G.J.Leach & Cheek
* '' Corchorus merxmuelleri'' Wild
* '' Corchorus mitchellensis'' Halford
* ''Corchorus neocaledonicus'' Schltr.
* ''Corchorus obclavatus'' Halford
* ''Corchorus olitorius'' L.
* '' Corchorus orinocensis'' Kunth
* '' Corchorus parviflorus'' (Benth.) Domin
* '' Corchorus parvifolius'' Sebsebe
* '' Corchorus pascuorum'' Domin
* '' Corchorus pinnatipartitus'' Wild
* '' Corchorus psammophilus'' Codd
* '' Corchorus pseudo-olitorius'' Islam & Zaid
* ''Corchorus pseudocapsularis'' Schweinf.
* '' Corchorus puberulus'' Halford
* '' Corchorus pumilio'' R.Br. ex Benth.
* ''Corchorus reynoldsiae'' Halford
* ''Corchorus saxatilis'' Wild
* '' Corchorus schimperi'' Cufod.
* ''Corchorus sericeus'' Ewart & O.B.Davies
* '' Corchorus siamensis'' Craib
* '' Corchorus sidoides'' F.Muell.
* '' Corchorus siliquosus'' L.
* ''Corchorus subargentus'' Halford
* '' Corchorus sublatus'' Halford
* '' Corchorus sulcatus'' I.Verd.
* '' Corchorus tectus'' Halford
* ''Corchorus thozetii'' Halford
* '' Corchorus tiniannensis'' Hosok.
* '' Corchorus tirunelveliensis'' Kalaiselvan, Selvak. & Rajakumar
* '' Corchorus tomentellus'' F.Muell.
* '' Corchorus torresianus'' Gaudich.
* ''Corchorus tridens'' L.
* ''Corchorus trilocularis'' L.
* '' Corchorus urticifolius'' Wight & Arn.
* '' Corchorus velutinus'' Wild
* ''Corchorus walcottii'' F.Muell.

Uses

Fiber

The fibers from ''Corchorus'' (known as jute) are the most widely cultivated vegetable fiber after cotton.

Food

''Corchorus'' leaves are consumed in the cuisines of various countries. ''Corchorus olitorius'' is used mainly in the cuisines of southern Asia, the Middle East, North Africa and West Africa, ''Corchorus capsularis'' in Japan and China. It has a mucilaginous (somewhat "slimy") texture, similar to okra, when cooked. The seeds are used as a flavouring, and a herbal tea is made from the dried leaves. The leaves of ''Corchorus'' are rich in betacarotene, iron, calcium, and vitamin C. The plant has an antioxidant activity with a significant α-tocopherol equivalent vitamin E.

In North Africa and the Middle East, the young leaves of ''Corchorus'' species are known in Arabic as ''malukhiyah'' and are used as green leafy vegetables . ''Malukhiyah'' is eaten widely in Egypt and some consider it the Egyptian national dish. It is featured in cuisines from Lebanon, Palestine, Syria, Jordan and Tunisia. In Turkey and Cyprus, the plant is known as ''molohiya'' or ''molocha'' and is usually cooked into a kind of chicken stew. The leaves of ''Corchorus'' have been a staple Egyptian food since the time of the Pharaohs and it is from there that it gains its recognition and popularity. Varieties of mallow-leaves stew with rice is a well known Middle Eastern cuisine.

In Nigerian cuisine, it is used in a stew known as '' ewedu'', a condiment to other starch-based foods such as ''amala'' or added with gbegiri a local Nigerian soup. In Northern Nigeria it is known as ''Ayoyo''. They use it to cook a sauce called (''Miyan Ayoyo'') which is commonly served with Tuwon Masara or Tuwon Allebo.

In Ghana, it is mostly eaten by the people in the North and it is called ayoyo. It is mostly eaten with Tuo Zaafi (food prepared with cornflour).

In Sierra Leone it is known as ''krain krain'' (or ''crain crain'') and is cooked as stew. The stew is usually eaten with rice or ''foofoo'' (a traditional food made from cassava).

Jute leaves are also consumed among the Luhya people of Western Kenya, where it is commonly known as ''mrenda'' or ''murere''. It is eaten with starchy foods like ''ugali'', a staple for most communities in Kenya. In Northern Sudan it is called ''khudra'', meaning "green" in Sudanese Arabic. The Songhai people of Mali call it ''fakohoy''.

In India, it is locally known as ''nalta sag''. It is a favorite food during the summer months, especially in Sambalpur and the western part of Odisha. Usually it is lightly sauteed and eaten along with rice or rice gruel.

In the Philippines, ''C. olitorius'' is known as ''saluyot''. It is commonly consumed as a leafy vegetable together with bamboo shoots.

In Thai cuisine, the leaves of the ''Corchorus olitorius'' (locally known as ''bai po''; th, ใบปอ) are eaten blanched, together with plain rice congee. The taste resembles that of spinach and samphire.

See also

*Jute
*'' Malva''
*''Hibiscus''
*'' Althaea''

References

External links

Malvaceae.info: ''Corchorus'' webpage

{{Taxonbar, from=Q161489

Asian vegetables
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Fiber plants
Leaf vegetables
Edible plants
Yoruba cuisine
Malvaceae genera