Abelmoschus caillei

Abelmoschus caillei, sometimes called West African okra or Guinean okra, is an annual or short-lived perennial herb in the family Malvaceae, order Malvales. The species is native to West and Central Africa, where it is an important food crop cultivated for its edible young pods, leaves, and seeds, often grown alongside or in place of the more widely known okra, Abelmoschus esculentus. Morphologically, Abelmoschus caillei is a robust, erect herb reaching up to 2 to 3 metres in height, with deeply palmately lobed leaves covered in stiff bristly hairs. The stems are similarly hispid or coarsely hairy, a trait that distinguishes it from some related species. The flowers are large and showy, characteristic of the genus, with five yellow petals typically bearing a dark reddish-purple basal spot, lasting only a single day. The fruit is an elongated, ridged capsule containing numerous seeds, harvested for culinary use when young and mucilaginous. Compared to common okra, Abelmoschus caillei is considered better adapted to the hot and humid tropical climate of West Africa and is more resistant to the yellow vein mosaic virus, a significant constraint on Abelmoschus esculentus cultivation. It is grown widely in Côte d'Ivoire, Nigeria, Ghana, and neighboring countries as a staple vegetable. The species has also attracted interest from plant breeders for disease resistance and as a genetic resource for improving okra production in tropical Africa.