Abelmoschus manihot facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Abelmoschus manihot
Scientific classification
Genus:	Abelmoschus
Species:	manihot
Synonyms
List Abelmoschus maculatus Bartl. Abelmoschus manihot var. megaspermus Hemadri Abelmoschus manihot var. timorensis (DC.) Hochr. Abelmoschus pentaphyllus (Roxb.) Voigt Abelmoschus platidactylus (Bakh.) Nakai Abelmoschus pseudomanihot (DC.) Endl. Abelmoschus venustus Walp. Hibiscus bartlingianus Steud. Hibiscus japonicus Miq. Hibiscus manihot L. Hibiscus papyrifer Salisb. Hibiscus pentaphyllus Roxb. Hibiscus pseudomanihot DC. Hibiscus timorensis DC. Hibiscus zenkeri Gürke

Abelmoschus manihot, the aibika, is a flowering plant in the family Malvaceae. It was formerly considered a species of Hibiscus, but is now classified in the genus Abelmoschus. The plant is also known as the sunset muskmallow, sunset hibiscus, or hibiscus manihot.

Applications

In the Philippines it is known variously as lagikway, likway, gikway, barakue, or nating saluyot. Its leaves and shoots are eaten as a vegetable, similar to the related saluyot (Corchorus olitorius). The leaves are added to dishes like tinola, sinigang, and pinangat, or eaten in salads.

In Japanese, this plant is known as tororo aoi and is used to make neri, a starchy substance used in making the traditional Japanese paper washi. In Korean, this plant is known as hwang chok kyu and is used to make dak pul, which assists in making hanji (Korean paper).

Chemical constituents

A chromatographic and spectroscopic analysis published in China Journal of Chinese Materia Medica showed that aibika contained thirteen compounds: myricetin, cannabiscitrin, myricetin-3-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside, glycerolmonopalmitate, 2, 4-dihydroxy benzoic acid, guanosine, adenosine, maleic acid, heptatriacontanoic acid, 1-triacontanol, tetracosane, β-Sitosterol, and beta-sitosterol-3-O-beta-D-glucoside.

Nutrition

Although technically a shrub, aibika is a perennial which, under good conditions, can grow to over three meters in height. It is reputedly an extremely nutritious vegetable. Its leaves are very high in vitamins A and C, and iron, and have 12% protein by dry weight. Moreover, it is easily propagated from cuttings, easy to cultivate, relatively disease-resistant and even is considered to be of medicinal value. It is widely planted either along borders of gardens or as an intercrop throughout many traditional gardens in the tropics.

See also

In Spanish: Aibika para niños