{{short description|Species of plant}} {{Speciesbox | image = Abelmoschus_moschatus_Blanco2.245.png | status = LC | status_system = IUCN3.1 | status_ref = <ref name=IUCN>{{cite iucn |author=Plummer, J. |year=2022 |title=''Abelmoschus moschatus'' |article-number=e.T123707530A123802096 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2022-2.RLTS.T123707530A123802096.en |access-date=8 January 2026}}</ref> | genus = Abelmoschus | species = moschatus | authority = Medik. | synonyms = {{Collapsible list | {{Plainlist | style = margin-left: 1em; text-indent: -1em; | *''Abelmoschus abelmoschus'' <small>(L.) H.Karst.</small> nom. inval. *''Abelmoschus betulifolia'' <small>Wall.</small> *''Abelmoschus chinensis'' <small>Wall.</small> *''Abelmoschus ciliaris'' <small>Walp.</small> *''Abelmoschus cryptocarpus'' <small>Walp.</small> *''Abelmoschus cubensis'' <small>Walp.</small> *''Abelmoschus cucurbitaceus'' <small>Walp.</small> *''Abelmoschus haenkeanus'' <small>C.Presl</small> *''Abelmoschus marianus'' <small>C.Presl</small> *''Abelmoschus palustris'' <small>Walp.</small> *''Abelmoschus pseudoabelmoschus'' <small>(Blume) Walp.</small> *''Abelmoschus roseus'' <small>Walp.</small> *''Abelmoschus sublobatus'' <small>C.Presl</small> *''Hibiscus abelmoschus'' <small>L.</small> *''Hibiscus collinsianus'' <small>Nutt. ex Torr. & A. Gray</small> *''Hibiscus moschatus'' <small>(Medik.) Salisb.</small> }} }} | synonyms_ref = <ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.theplantlist.org/tpl1.1/record/kew-2609599 |title=The Plant List: A Working List of All Plant Species |accessdate=June 14, 2014}}</ref> }}
'''''Abelmoschus moschatus''''' is an aromatic and species of medicinal plant in the family Malvaceae native to Asia and Australia.<ref name="GRIN" /> It has many common names, including '''Abelmosk''', '''ambrette''', '''annual hibiscus''', '''Bamia Moschata''', '''Galu Gasturi''', '''muskdana''', '''musk mallow''',<ref name=GRIN>{{GRIN | accessdate = December 21, 2017}}</ref> '''musk okra''',<ref name=GRIN/> '''ornamental okra''', '''rose mallow''', '''tropical jewel hibiscus''',<ref name=GRIN/> and '''Yorka okra'''.
==Characteristics== The seeds have a sweet, flowery, heavy fragrance similar to that of musk (hence its specific epithet {{lang|la|moschātus}}, scientific Latin for ‘musk’).
Despite its tropical origin, the plant is frost-hardy.{{citation needed|date=September 2022}}
==Uses of the plant== thumb|250px|left Musk mallow seed oil was once frequently used as a substitute in perfumes for animal musk; however, this use is now mostly replaced by various synthetic musks due to its high cost.
In her 1705 book the ''Metamorphosis Insectorum Surinamensium'', Maria Sibylla Merian described how the young indigenous women would string the seeds on threads and wear the seeds as decoration on their arms. She also indicated that the Indigenous people used the seeds to fatten up their chickens.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Merian|first=Maria Sibylla|title=Metamorphosis Insectorum Surinamensium|url=https://archive.org/details/Metamorphosisin00Meri|year=1705|location=Amsterdam|pages=Plate 42}}</ref>
===Culinary uses=== It has many culinary uses. The seeds are added to coffee; unripe pods ("musk okra"), leaves and new shoots are eaten as vegetables.
===Medicinal uses===
Different parts of the plant (''latākastūrikā'', लताकस्तूरिका, in Sanskrit) have uses in Ayurveda herbal medicine, including as an antispasmodic and to treat gonorrhea.<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=-q45EZEfz0sC&q=%22Abelmoschus+moschatus%22+ayurveda&pg=PA204|title=Handbook of Ayurvedic Medicinal Plants: Herbal Reference Library|author=L. D. Kapoor|publisher=Taylor & Francis|year= 2000|isbn=9780849329296}}</ref> However, use may result in phytophotodermatitis{{citation needed|date=October 2018}} and it has not been proven safe for use during pregnancy and lactation.<ref>{{cite web | title=Wellness Library:Ambrette (Abelmoschus moschatus) | url=http://www.livingnaturally.com/ns/DisplayMonograph.asp?StoreID=3D9D155236034A5897378F7C5A033221&DocID=bottomline-ambrette | access-date=2018-06-10 | archive-date=2018-06-12 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180612142042/http://www.livingnaturally.com/ns/DisplayMonograph.asp?StoreID=3D9D155236034A5897378F7C5A033221&DocID=bottomline-ambrette | url-status=dead }}</ref>
===Other uses=== In industry the root mucilage provides sizing for paper; tobacco is sometimes flavoured with the flowers.
==References== {{reflist}} *{{Cite book| last = Brown| first = Deni | title = The Royal Horticultural Society encyclopedia of herbs & their uses | publisher = Dorling Kindersley | date = 1995 | location = London | isbn = 0-7513-0203-1 }}
==External links== *[http://www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/CropFactSheets/muskdana.html ''Abelmoschus moschatus''] *[http://www.pfaf.org/database/plants.php?Abelmoschus+moschatus ''Abelmoschus moschatus''] *[https://web.archive.org/web/20160304034609/http://libproject.hkbu.edu.hk/was40/detail?lang=en&channelid=1288&searchword=herb_id%3DD00953 Abelmoschus moschatus] Medicinal Plant Images Database (School of Chinese Medicine, Hong Kong Baptist University) {{in lang|zh-hant}} {{in lang|en}} *{{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20130319052514/http://www.celtnet.org.uk/recipes/spice-entry.php?term=Musk%20Mallow%20Seeds Celtnet Spice Guide entry for Musk Mallow seeds, including recipes]}}
{{Taxonbar|from=Q2086536}}
moschatus Category:Flora of China Category:Flora of Taiwan Category:Flora of tropical Asia Category:Flora of Australia