HIBISCUS ESCULENTUS. 



29 



HIBISCUS ESCULENTUS, Linn.* 



[Vide Plate LXXXVL] 



Bhindi, bhendi, ram turai, ram taroi (Hind.) ; bamia (Egypt.) , bamiya (Arab, and Pers.) ; 

 bhinda, bhindaka (Sans.). 



Natural order Malvacece. A tall erect annual covered with brittle hairs. Leaves scabrous, 

 3-5 lobed, the lobes oblong and toothed. Bracteoles 8-10, deciduous equalling the spathe-like calyx. 

 Flowers yellow with crimson centre. Capsules subcylindrical, nearly glabrous, containing numer- 

 ous hairy seeds. 



This plant, which is cultivated all over India and in most tropical countries, is 

 supposed to have come originally from Africa. DeCandolle is also of this opinion ; he 

 mentions, however, that it does not appear to have come under cultivation in Lower 

 Egypt before the Arab rule. The Sanscrit names bhinda and bhindaka are given on 

 the authority of Mr. W. Crooke. 



Bhindi is grown universally during the rainy season in native gardens for the sake 

 of its mucilaginous fruit, which is prepared in various ways as food, though occasionally 

 eaten raw. It is cooked either separately, or in the form of curry with meat, and 

 seasoned with various spices. The young pods make a good pickle. 



Like most other Malvaceous plants it yields a fibre, which Liotard, in his report 

 on paper-yielding materials of India, mentions as being very fine and well suited for 

 paper-making. He also says that paper has been made of it, though on a small scale, 

 at the Lucknow Central Jail. Dr. Watt says that in France the manufacture of 

 paper from this fibre is the subject of a patent ; that it receives only mechanical treat- 

 ment, and affords a paper called banda, equal to that obtained from pure rags. 



The mucilage, with which the immature capsules abound, is included amongst the 

 officinal drugs of the Indian Pharmacopoeia, and is highly recommended as an emollient 

 and demulcent and as diuretic. 



Explanation of Plate LXXXVI. 



1. Cross section of fruit. 



2. Vertical section of flower. 



3. Entire fruit. 



* References :— Fl. Br. Ind., I., 343; Watt, Diet. Econom. Prod., IV., 237 ; Royle, 111. Him. Bot., 84; Atkinson, 

 Econom. Prod. N.-W. Prov., V., 14 ; Him. Dist., I., 702 ; Bent, and Trimen, Med. PI., 36 ; DC, L'Orig. PI. Cult., 150 j H. 

 longifelius ; Roxb., Fl. Ind. (Clarke's Ed.), 528 ; Alelmoschus esculentus, W. and A. Prod., I., 53 : Stewart, Punj. PI., 21. 



