okra plant

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• gumbo
• lady's-finger
• okra
• lady's-fingers

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Hibiscus praecox
• Hibiscus esculentus
• Abelmoschus tuberculatus
• Abelmoschus tuberculatus var. deltoidefolius
• Hibiscus esculentus var. praecox
• Hibiscus ficifolius
• Hibiscus esculentus var. textilis
• Hibiscus longifolius
• Abelmoschus praecox var. hispidus
• Abelmoschus praecox
• Abelmoschus praecox var. pubescens
• Hibiscus bammia
• Abelmoschus longifolius
• Hibiscus esculentus var. vulgaris
• Hibiscus esculentus var. zhukovskyi
• Abelmoschus bammia
• Hibiscus esculentus var. elongatus
• Hibiscus esculentus var. vavilovii

Regional and Traditional Names

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant, Abelmoschus esculentus, belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta. Within the class Equisetopsida and subclass Magnoliidae, it is classified under the order Malvales and the family Malvaceae. Finally, its taxonomic placement is completed within the genus Abelmoschus.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant exhibits a specific distribution across various regions of Europe. In Southeastern Europe, its presence is documented in Albania and Bulgaria. It can also be found within the borders of Greece and Romania. Additionally, the species extends into Eastern Europe, specifically located in Krym. These locations define the documented geographical range for Abelmoschus esculentus.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Abelmoschus esculentus is characterized by its adaptation to a broad altitudinal spectrum, allowing it to thrive in diverse topographical settings. It is primarily found at lower to mid-level elevations, with a minimum presence starting at 0 m AMSL and extending up to a maximum elevation of 1500 m AMSL. On average, the species is most commonly situated at a mean elevation of 600 m AMSL, indicating a preference for lowland to sub-montane environments. This elevational distribution suggests that the plant is well-suited to various thermal and atmospheric conditions found within these ranges, facilitating its growth across different ecological zones.

Elevational range max:

1500 m AMSL

Elevational range mean:

600 m AMSL

Elevational range min:

0 m AMSL

Life history

The life history of Abelmoschus esculentus is characterized by an annual lifecycle, meaning the plant completes its entire biological progression—from germination and vegetative growth to flowering and seed production—within a single growing season. In terms of its ecological strategy and structural habit, it is classified as a therophyte, a life form that survives unfavorable environmental conditions by completing its life cycle quickly and persisting as ephemeral seeds. This strategy allows the species to exploit favorable seasonal windows, rapidly establishing itself and producing mature seeds before the onset of drought or frost, thereby ensuring the continuity of the next generation through its dormant seed bank.

Life form :

therophyte

Lifecycle :

annual

Morphology

The morphology of Abelmoschus esculentus is characterized by its growth form as a non-woody herb and forb. As a terrestrial plant, it functions as an independent organism rather than a parasite or an epiphyte. The plant is self-supporting in its growth habit, lacking the climbing mechanisms of a liana or vine. In terms of stature, it exhibits significant variability in plant height, ranging from a minimum of 0.3 m to a maximum of 2 m, with an average height of approximately 1.83 m.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

herb

Growth form :

forb

Parasite :

independent

Plant height max:

2 m

Plant height mean:

1.83333333333333 m

Plant height min:

0.3 m

Woodiness :

non-woody

Physiology

The physiology of Abelmoschus esculentus is characterized by a C3 photosynthetic pathway, which governs its carbon fixation process through the direct carboxylation of ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate by the enzyme RuBisCO. This metabolic strategy influences the plant's water-use efficiency and its adaptive responses to varying environmental light and temperature conditions. Furthermore, regarding its nutrient acquisition capabilities, the plant is not a nitrogen fixer, meaning it lacks the symbiotic relationship with nitrogen-fixing bacteria required to convert atmospheric nitrogen into bioavailable forms, and instead relies on the uptake of nitrates and ammonium from the soil substrate to support its growth and development.

Nitrogen fixer :

no

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Reproduction

The reproduction of Abelmoschus esculentus is driven by a biotic pollination syndrome, specifically relying on insects such as bees to facilitate the transfer of pollen. While the plant is capable of self-fertilization, its reproductive cycle is closely tied to specific seasonal windows, with flowering typically beginning in July and concluding in August. Following successful pollination, the plant develops characteristic fruits that exhibit significant morphological variation; these fruits generally maintain a mean length of 17.5 cm (ranging from a minimum of 10 cm to a maximum of 25 cm) and a mean width of 1.75 cm (ranging from a minimum of 1.5 cm to a maximum of 2 cm). The reproductive process culminates in the production of seeds with a mean mass of approximately 0.0522 g, though individual seed weights can fluctuate between a minimum of 0.03725 g and a maximum of 0.0585 g.

Flowering time :

Jul

Flowering time :

Aug

Fruit length max:

25 cm

Fruit length mean:

17.5 cm

Fruit length min:

10 cm

Fruit width max:

2 cm

Fruit width mean:

1.75 cm

Fruit width min:

1.5 cm

Pollination syndrome :

insect

Pollination syndrome :

bee

Pollination syndrome :

biotic

Seed mass max:

0.0585 g

Seed mass mean:

0.0522291665 g

Seed mass min:

0.03725 g

Self fertilization :

present

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Plant Parts

Abelmoschus esculentus has 2 reported plant parts identified across 4 scientific publications and several other databases that are studied for medicinal purposes. The most consistently reported plant part include fruit, leaf.

Fruit

1. Pharmaceuticals (Basel, Switzerland)
2. RSC advances

Leaf

1. RSC advances
2. International journal of molecular sciences

Chemicals

Abelmoschus esculentus has 109 reported phytochemicals identified across 4 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include Flavonoids, quercetin, Isoquercitrin, Lectin, lysine.

Flavonoids

1. Dr. Duke
2. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
3. Journal of food biochemistry
4. Frontiers in plant science
5. RSC advances

quercetin

1. Dr. Duke
2. Journal of food biochemistry
3. Folia medica
4. Biotechnic & histochemistry : official publication of the Biological Stain Commission

Isoquercitrin

1. Nutrients
2. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
3. International journal of biomaterials

Lectin

1. International immunopharmacology
2. Toxicon : official journal of the International Society on Toxinology

lysine

1. Dr. Duke
2. Frontiers in plant science

palmitic acid

1. Dr. Duke
2. Journal of the science of food and agriculture

tryptophan

1. Dr. Duke
2. Frontiers in plant science

12,13-epoxyoleic acid

1. Dr. Duke

3-Methyl-1-butanol

1. Dr. Duke

4-o-beta-d-galactopyranosyl-d-galactose

1. Dr. Duke

Activities

Abelmoschus esculentus has 536 reported activities identified across 4 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antioxidant, Anticancer, Antidiabetic, Antibacterial, Antistress.

Antioxidant

1. Dr. Duke
2. Journal of food biochemistry
3. TheScientificWorldJournal
4. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
5. Phytotherapy research : PTR

Anticancer

1. Dr. Duke
2. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
3. Toxicon : official journal of the International Society on Toxinology

Antidiabetic

1. Dr. Duke
2. RSC advances
3. Folia medica

Antibacterial

1. Dr. Duke
2. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Antistress

1. Dr. Duke
2. TheScientificWorldJournal

Hepatoprotective

1. Dr. Duke
2. Saudi pharmaceutical journal : SPJ : the official publication of the Saudi Pharmaceutical Society

Hypolipidemic

1. Dr. Duke
2. Journal of food biochemistry

11B-HSD-Inhibitor

1. Dr. Duke

5-Alpha-Reductase-Inhibitor

1. Dr. Duke

5-Lipoxygenase-Inhibitor

1. Dr. Duke

Conditions

Abelmoschus esculentus has 48 reported investigations on conditions identified across 4 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported conditions include blood glucose, breast cancer, dyslipidemia, inflammation, Antidiabetic.

Blood glucose

1. Journal of food biochemistry
2. Frontiers in veterinary science

Breast cancer

1. International journal of biomaterials
2. Journal of multidisciplinary healthcare

Dyslipidemia

1. Food research international (Ottawa, Ont.)
2. Food and chemical toxicology : an international journal published for the British Industrial Biological Research Association

Inflammation

1. Pharmaceutical biology
2. Toxicon : official journal of the International Society on Toxinology

Antidiabetic

1. RSC advances

Cancer

1. Chemistry & biodiversity

Diabetes mellitus

1. Frontiers in veterinary science

Drought

1. Frontiers in plant science

Insulin resistance

1. Folia medica

Abscesses

1. International journal of molecular sciences

Preparations

Abelmoschus esculentus has 9 reported preparations identified across 4 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported preparations include A. esculentus lectin (AEL), AE extracts, Abelmoschus esculentus extract, Kelpak, Seaweed Extract.

A. esculentus lectin (ael)

1. International immunopharmacology

Ae extracts

1. Toxicon : official journal of the International Society on Toxinology

Abelmoschus esculentus extract

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Kelpak

1. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)

Seaweed extract

1. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)

Aqueous and methanolic seed extracts

1. TheScientificWorldJournal

Green vegetables

1. International journal of molecular sciences

Lectin isolated from ae

1. Toxicon : official journal of the International Society on Toxinology

Plant-growth-promoting rhizobacteria-pgpr

1. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)