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.