Botanical Name(s): Abelmoschus Moschatus
Family Name: Malvaceae
Species: A. moschatus
Popular Name(s): Ambrette Seeds, Hibiscus Abelmoschus, Musk Mallow, Musk Okra, Ornamental Okra, Yorka Okra, Galu Gasturi, Bamia Moschata
Parts Used: Seeds, Seeds Oil
Habitat: Common in distributed areas and wastelands.
Annual hibiscus is an erect, annual or biennial, hirsute shrub. The soft, herbaceous plant trails to 2 meters in diameter, with soft hairy stems. The lower leaves are ovate and acute, while the upper leaves are palmately 3 to 7 lobed. The bright yellow and large flowers are usually solitary and auxiliary. The capsules are ovate, acute and hispid. The seeds are sub-reniform, black and musk-scented. Due to this strong musk aroma, annual hibiscus seeds are known as grani moschi. In India, the plant is grown widely over the Deccan regions, the hilly regions of Karnataka and at the foothills of the Himalayas. The plant is known as latakasturi, gandapura and kasturilatika in Sanskrit and kasturidana and muskadfana in Hindi.
(+)- macrocyclic musks, 5(Z)-tetradecen-14-oide, 7(Z)-hexadecen-16-olide, linoleic acid, a-cephalin, phosphatidylserine, plasmalogen, phosphatidylcholine plasmalogen, ketone, ambrettelide, a lactone of ambrettolic acid, trans-2-trans-6-farnesyl acetate, ambrettolide, cis-2-cis-6-farnesyl acetate, cis-2-trans-6-farnesyl acetate, ethyl hexadecanate, ethyl laurate, trans-2-trans-6-farnesol.
Uses & Benefits of Annual Hibiscus