Abelmoschus, Medikus, 1787

Misra, R. C., 2023, Abelmoschus odishae (Malvoideae: Malvaceae): a new wild okra from tropical Eastern India, Phytotaxa 607 (5), pp. 291-300 : 292-293

Key to the species of Abelmoschus

1. Epicalyx segments broadly ovate to deltoid, segments connate at base, enclosing flower buds .................................... A. angulosus

1. Epicalyx segments linear, lanceolate, ovate or narrowly ovate, free, not enclosing flower buds ......................................................2

2. Flowers yellow ...................................................................................................................................................................................3

2. Flowers white, turning pink afterwards............................................................................................................................. A. ficulneus

3. Epicalyx lanceolate, ovate to narrowly ovate.....................................................................................................................................4

3. Epicalyx linear....................................................................................................................................................................................5

4. Epicalyx persistent in fruit..................................................................................................................................................................6

4. Epicalyx caducous in fruit ..................................................................................................................................................................7

5. Capsule globose to bluntly ovoid, without rostrum, epicalyx longer than half of the length of capsule ............................ A. crinitus

5. Capsule narrowly ellipsoid to oblong, beaked, with distinct rostrum, epicalyx smaller than half of length of capsule ....................8

6. Annual, sub-shrub up to 3 m height, stem sparsely hairy; hairs antrorse, 1 mm long; epicalyx 5–7, ovate to narrowly ovate, up to 2 cm long; corolla convolute; capsule broadly ovoid, 3–4 cm long; seed trichomes spiral, long, slender ........................ A.palianus

6. Perennial, large shrub up to 5 m height, stem hispid with stiff prickly bristles; hairs retrorse, 4–5 mm long; epicalyx 8 (7–9), lanceolate, 3–4 cm long; corolla widely campanulate; capsule ovoid-oblong, 6.0– 7.5 cm long, seed trichomes straight, short, stout ..................................................................................................................................................................................... A. odishae

7. Plant glabrous, epicalyx 7–9, capsule tomentulose, dehiscence lateral, rostrum ca. 1–2 cm long; seed glabrous, warty .... A. caillei

7. Plant scabrous, epicalyx 4–6, capsule hirsute, dehiscence apical, rostrum ca. 0.5 cm long; seed pilose, hairy ................ A. manihot

8. Capsule tuberculate ..................................................................................................................................................... A. tuberculatus

- Leaves deltoideform, 3–5 lobed; lobes not pinnatisect, without lobules; seeds 3 mm in diam., pubescent, hair length <300 µm .... ................................................................................................................................................................................. var. deltoidefolius

- Leaves palmilobed to palmatisect; lobes pinnatisect with lobules; seeds> 3 mm in diam., villous, hair length> 400 µm................ ................................................................................................................................................................................... var. tuberculatus

8. Capsule tomentulose, villous or soft strigulose..................................................................................................................................9

9. Tap root tuberous, fruit villous hairy, dehisce apically, epicalyx persistent.....................................................................................10

9. Tap root not tuberous, fruit tomentulose or soft strigulose, dehisce laterally, epicalyx caducous ...................................................11

10. Epicalyx segments less than 9 ...................................................................................................................................... A. sagittifolius

10. Epicalyx segments 11–13 ................................................................................................................................... A. enbeepeegearense

11. Capsule long, fusiform, 10–20 cm long, acuminate, tomentellus; rostrum long, 3–5 cm; seed subglobose, grayish, odourless ........ ......................................................................................................................................................................................... A. esculentus

11. Capsule ovoid-ellipsoid, 5–8 cm long, acute, soft strigulose; rostrum short, ca. 1cm; seed reniform, compressed, brown, muskscented ............................................................................................................................................................................ A. moschatus