Abelmoschus Medic., Mal. Fam. 46. 1787. Borss., Blumea 14 (1): 89. 1966; Hutch., Gen. Fl. Pl. 2: 545. 1967.
Annual to perennial herbs or undershrubs. Leaves usually palmately 3-5-lobed or partite; stipules linear or filiform, caducous. Flowers axillary, solitary or in terminal racemes by the reduction of leaves. Epicalyx segments 4 to many, up to 16, free or connate at base, persistent or caducous. Calyx adnate to corolla, lobed or toothed, irregularly splitting into 2(-3) lobes during anthesis, spathaceous, caducous. Corolla usually yellow with a dark purple centre, falling along with calyx and staminal tube. Staminal column included, antheriferous all over. Carpels 5; ovary pubescent, 5-loculed. Fruit loculicidally dehiscent capsule, oblong or cylindric. Seeds many in each cell, glabrous or hairy.
A genus of about 10 species distributed in temperate and warm regions. Six or mare species native to S. and S.E. Asia, the Philippines, Indonesia and others S.W. Pacific islands to N. Australia. In Pakistan it is represented by 5 species.
