Okra (vihannesokra) – Abelmoschus esculentus

Stem is cylindrical with scattered stiff hairs, often red-blotched. Branches are erect to curved downwards. Leaves are alternate. Petioles are up to 50 cm long, often red-tinged. Blades are up to 50 cm broad, lobed or divided. Stipules are filiform, up to 2 cm long. Flowers are axillary, solitary or racemose, 4-8 cm in diameter, with five white to yellow petals, often with a red or purple spot at the base of each petal. Epicalyx consists of 7-15 linear to lanceolate segments, falling off easily. Calyx is spathaceous, 2-6 cm long, usually splitting on one side at the expansion of the corolla. The five petalsare free, obovate to orbicular, 3-7 cm long, yellow, often turning pink after anthesis, with a dark purple centre. Stamens are united into a staminal column, which is up to 2.5 cm long. Style has 5-10 arms and stigmas are dark purple and hairy. Fruit is an erect longitudinally dehiscent pyramidal capsule up to ca. 20 cm long, containing numerous globose seeds.