''Abelmoschus ficulneus'' is a species of

flowering plant Flowering plants are plants that bear flowers and fruits, and form the clade Angiospermae (), commonly called angiosperms. The term "angiosperm" is derived from the Greek words ('container, vessel') and ('seed'), and refers to those plants t ...

in the genus '' Abelmoschus'', family

Malvaceae Malvaceae, or the mallows, is a family of flowering plants estimated to contain 244 genera with 4225 known species. Well-known members of economic importance include okra, cotton, cacao and durian. There are also some genera containing familia ...

. Commonly known as white wild musk mallow or native rosella, it is

fibrous Fiber or fibre (from la, fibra, links=no) is a natural or artificial substance that is significantly longer than it is wide. Fibers are often used in the manufacture of other materials. The strongest engineering materials often incorporat ...

perennial A perennial plant or simply perennial is a plant that lives more than two years. The term ('' per-'' + '' -ennial'', "through the years") is often used to differentiate a plant from shorter-lived annuals and biennials. The term is also widel ...

with a woody stem. Its flowers are about an inch in diameter, either pink or white, with a rose center; its leaves are

palmate The following is a list of terms which are used to describe leaf morphology in the description and taxonomy of plants. Leaves may be simple (a single leaf blade or lamina) or compound (with several leaflets). The edge of the leaf may be regular ...

. The species grows as a small erect shrub, tall and across. Leaves are long and wide, with a circular shape (heart-shaped near base). Leaves are rough on both sides, toothed, and have 3 to 5 lobes. Flower stock are covered in velvety hair, and the flowers themselves are across. The stocks are short and colored white to pink with a dark purple center.

Flower A flower, sometimes known as a bloom or blossom, is the reproductive structure found in flowering plants (plants of the division Angiospermae). The biological function of a flower is to facilitate reproduction, usually by providing a mechanis ...

s last a few days. The plant has small hairs which may cause irritation. The plant's seed heads are hairy and sticky, ovalar in shape and long and wide, with five ribs and a short beak. Seeds that are still in their growth period are medium to dark green, and when they are mature they turn dark brown, and split into five parts to release 10 to 20 brown to black spherical seeds, covered in tiny hairs. ''Abelmoschus ficulneus'' germinates in the spring and summer months, after the effects of rainfall and irrigation have set in. The plant grows rapidly over spring and summer several months after emergence, through autumn. Mature seeds are produced within a month of flowering in the late summer and autumn seasons. The species is native to north and east Africa, Madagascar, Indomalaya and Northern Australia, where it has become a common

crop weed Crop weeds are weeds that grow amongst crops. Despite the potential for some crop weeds to be used as a food source, many can also prove harmful to crops, both directly and indirectly. Crop weeds can inhibit the growth of crops, contaminate harves ...

, particularly in

cotton Cotton is a soft, fluffy staple fiber that grows in a boll, or protective case, around the seeds of the cotton plants of the genus '' Gossypium'' in the mallow family Malvaceae. The fiber is almost pure cellulose, and can contain minor pe ...

Gallery

File:Abelmoschus ficulneus (Jungli Bhendi) leaves in Kawal, AP W IMG 2221.jpg, ''Abelmoschus ficulneus'' leaves in

Kawal Wildlife Sanctuary Kawal Tiger Reserve is a nature preserve located at Jannaram mandal of Mancherial District (Old Adilabad district) in the Telangana state of India. The government of India declared Kawal Wildlife Sanctuary to be a Tiger Reserve in 2012. The res ...

, India. File:Abelmoschus ficulneus (Jungli Bhendi) leaves in Kawal, AP W IMG 2216.jpg, ''Abelmoschus ficulneus'' leaves in

, India. File:Abelmoschus ficulneus (Jungli Bhendi) fruit in Kawal, AP W IMG 2218.jpg, ''Abelmoschus ficulneus'' fruit in

, India.

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q4666724 ficulneus Flora of Africa Flora of tropical Asia Flora of the Northern Territory Flora of Queensland Rosids of Western Australia Malvales of Australia Plants described in 1753 Taxa named by Carl Linnaeus