DESCRIPTION:
Okra is a flowering plant in the mallow family (along with such species as cotton, cocoa, and hibiscus), valued for its edible green fruits, which are also called okra, lady's fingers, or gumbo. Okra's scientific name is Abelmoschus esculentus; it is occasionally referred to as Hibiscus esculentus L.
The species is an annual or perennial, growing to 2 m tall. The leaves are 10 - 20 cm long and broad, palmately lobed with 5 - 7 lobes. The flowers are 4 - 8 cm diameter, with five white to yellow petals, often with a red or purple spot at the base of each petal. The fruit is a capsule up to 18 cm long, containing numerous seeds.
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