Abelmoschus ficulneus (L.) Wight & Arn. (Malvaceae), a new addition to the flora of Kerala, India

*Article not assigned to an issue yet

, , , ,


Research Articles | Published:

E-ISSN: 2229-4473.
Website: www.vegetosindia.org
Pub Email: contact@vegetosindia.org
DOI: 10.1007/s42535-026-01674-y
First Page: 0
Last Page: 0
Views: 82

Keywords: n Abelmoschus ficulneusn , Malvaceae, Attappady, Palakkad, Kerala


Abstract


Abelmoschus ficulneus (L.) Wight & Arn. is reported here as a new addition to the flora of Kerala. During floristic exploration, the authors collected the plant from Attappady of Palakkad district, in Kerala, the southern Western Ghats of India. A taxonomic treatment with detailed description, distribution, specimens examined, significance and a key for identification is provided.

n                     Abelmoschus ficulneusn                  , Malvaceae, Attappady, Palakkad, Kerala


References


Abhilash KS, Alen AP, Gayathri TS, Leeja L (2025) Rapid threat assessment of ethnomedicinal pteridophytes used among tribals of Attappady, Palakkad, Southern Western Ghats, India. Vegetos 38(4):1523–1532. https://doi.org/10.1007/s42535-024-00920-5


Ad M, Kurian VM (2016) Theory and practical implication of land degradation and livelihood: case of Attappady Region in Kerala. Asia-Pac J Rural Dev 26(1):85–104. https://doi.org/10.1177/1018529120160103


Barrett RL, Hanes MM, McLay TG (2023) Proposals to conserve the name Abelmoschus against Laguna, and Pavonia, nom. cons., against the additional names Malvaviscus and Malachra (Malvaceae). Taxon 72(3):667–669. https://doi.org/10.1002/tax.12968


Borssum-Waalkes, (1966) Malesian Malvaceae revised. Blumea 14(1):1–213


De Candolle AP (1824) Malvaceae. In: de Candolle AP (ed) Prodromus systematis naturalis regni vegetabilis. Paris


Chowdhury NS, Jamaly S, Farjana F, Begum N, Zenat EA (2019) A review on ethnomedicinal, pharmacological, phytochemical and pharmaceutical profile of lady’s finger (Abelmoschus esculentus L.) plant. Pharmacol Pharm 10(2):94–108. https://doi.org/10.4236/pp.2019.102008


Dashputre NL, Bandawane DD (2021) Effect of Abelmoschus ficulneus (L.) Wight & Arn. on immunomodulation: in vivo experimental animal models. Futur J Pharm Sci 7:149. https://doi.org/10.1186/s43094-021-00257-9


Dunn ST (1915) Malvaceae. In: Gamble JS (ed) Flora of presidency of Madras. Vol. 1. London


Facciola S (1998) Cornucopia II: a source book of edible plants. Kampong, California


Hanes MM, Blanchard OJ, Valencia DJ, McLay T, Abbott JR, McDaniel SF, Barrett RL, Mathews S, Neubig KM (2024) Phylogenetic relationships within tribe Hibisceae (Malvaceae) reveal complex patterns of polyphyly in Hibiscus and Pavonia. Syst Bot 49(1):77–116. https://doi.org/10.1600/036364424X17114831879189


Hochreutiner BPG (1924) Revision du genre Hibiscus. Romet


Kumar S (2012) Herbaceous flora of Jaunsar-Bawar (Uttarkhand), India: enumerations. Phytotaxonomy 12:33–56


Linnaeus C (1753) Species plantarum, vol Vol. I. Laurentius Salvius, Stockholm


Masters MT (1874) Malvaceae. In: Hooker JD (ed) Flora of British India. Vol. 1, London


Medikus FC (1787) Ueber einige künstliche Geschlechter aus der Malven-Familie, denn der Klasse der Monadelphien. Neue Hof-und akad, Buchh


Mohite AV, Gurav RV (2019) Nutraceutical and antioxidant evaluation of Abelmoschus taxa. Int J Veg Sci 25(6):610–618. https://doi.org/10.1080/19315260.2019.1597801


Muthuramkumar S, Ayyappan N, Parthasarathy N, Mudappa D, Raman TRS, Selwyn MA, Pragasan LA (2006) Plant community structure in tropical rain forest fragments of the Western Ghats, India. Biotropica 38:143–160. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1744-7429.2006.00118.x


Myers N, Mittermeier RA, Mittermeier CG, Da Fonseca GA, Kent J (2000) Biodiversity hotspots for conservation priorities. Nature 403(6772):853–858. https://doi.org/10.1038/35002501


Patil SH, Yadav SS (2002) Traditional medicinal plants of Satpuda, Nandurbar District, Maharashtra state. Indian for 129(11):1379–1384


Patil P, Sutar S, Joseph JK, Malik S, Rao S, Yadav S, Bhat KV (2015) A systematic review of the genus Abelmoschus (Malvaceae). Rheedea 25(1):14–30. https://doi.org/10.22244/rheedea.2015.25.01.03


Patil P, Malik SK, Bhat KV (2020) Significance of seed trichome micro-morphology in systematic treatment of Abelmoschus-Hibiscus complex. Indian J Genet Plant Breed 80(01):77–83


POWO (2025) Plants of the World Online. Facilitated by the royal botanic gardens, Kew. http://www.plantsoftheworldonline.org/ Accessed on 30 December 2025


Prain D (1903) Bengal Plants. Vol. 1. West, Newman & Co.


Sankara Rao K, Deepak Kumar (2025) India Flora Online. http://indiaflora-ces.iisc.ac.in/plants.php?name=Abelmoschus ficulneus Downloaded on 4 January 2026.


Stewart RR (1972) An annotated catalogue of the vascular plants of West Pakistan and Kashmir. Fakhri Press, Karachi




 


Author Information


Department of Botany, Government Victoria College, University of Calicut, Palakkad, India