Habit:
Annual, biennial, herb, shrub or tree.
Root:
Tap root system branched.
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Stem:
Erect, branched, cylindrical, usually, mucilaginous.
Leaf:
Stipulate, alternate, simple, petiolate, entire or lobed, reticulate venation.
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Inflorescence:
Solitary, axillary or terminal bacemose or helicoid cyme.
Flower:
Bracteate or ebractate, hermaphrodite, complete, hypogynous, actinomorphic, pentamerous.
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Calyx:
Sepals 5, basically connate or polysepalous, valvate aestivation, usually epicalyx present.
Corolla:
Petals 5, polypetulous but basically fused with staminal tube, twisted or imbricate aestivation, showy.
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Androecium:
Numerous stamens, monadelphous, filaments fused to form a staminal tube, adnate to basal part of petals, epipetalous, anther lobes unilocular (monothecous), basifixed.
Gynoecium:
3-00 carpels, syncarpous, multilocular, ovary superior, axile placentation, each locule has 1 – 00 ovules, style single & simple, stigma multilobed.
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Economic Importance
(A) Plants used as food:
(1) Gossypium sp.:
The oil extracted from its seeds is used in preparing vegetable ghee Residual part of seed is used as cake for cattle.
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(2) Hibiscus esculentus (Bhindi):
Fruits are used as vegetables.
(B) Plants used in medicine:
(1) Urena rependa:
Juice extracted from roots and bark is used in hydrophobia.
(2) Abutilon indicum:
Root, stem, leaves and seeds are used in preparing certain ayurvedic medicines.
(C) Fibre yielding plants:
(1) Gossypium sp:
Fibres of seed coat are used in textile industry. Important species of cotton are G. arboreum, G. herbaceum and G. barbadense.
(2) Hibiscus cannabinus:
Madras hemp, H. mutabilis and H. sabdariffa are used in rope industry. Firbre obtained frftm Urena lobata is used in preparing bags.