Abutilon indicum

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Photographs by: Dr. Maulik Gadani

  • Botanical Name : Abutilon indicum (L.) Sweet
  • Synonyms : Sida asiatica L.
  • Common Name : Kanski, Indian Mallow, Country Mallow
  • Plant Family : Malvaceae
  • Plant Form : Shrub
  • Occurrence (Sectors) : 2, 5, 10, 11, 15, 17, 27, 28, 30
  • Occurrence (Special Areas) : Indroda Park, Ayurvedic Udyan, Van Chetana Kendra, Basan, Aranya Van

About Abutilon indicum Plant :

  • Habit : An erect shrub, hairy.
  • Stem : Herbaceous, aerial, erect, cylindrical, branched, solid, pubescent and green.
  • Leaves : Cauline and ramal, alternate, suborbicular, broadly ovate, acuminate, velvety on both sides, simple, stipulate, petiolate, deltoid, serrate, slightly hairy, multicostate, reticulate, divergent type.
  • Inflorescence : Solitary axillary.
  • Flowers :
    • Bright-yellow, opening in the evening, bracteates, pedicellate, complete, actinomorphic, hermaphrodite, pentamerous, hypogynous and cyclic.
    • Epicalyx absent.
    • Calyx of 5 sepals, gamosepalous, free at the tips, valvate, persistent, green.
    • Corollayellow, about 3 cm in diameter, made up of 5 petals, polypetalous, slightly connate at the base and adnate to staminal tube, twisted.
    • Androecium consists of indefinite stamens, monadelphous forming a tube around the style, the tube being united with the petals (epipetalous). In the upper part of the staminal tube are borne monothecous and extrorse anthers.
    • Gynoecium multicarpellary, syncarpous, carpels with a distinct acute point, hairy, shining, ovary superior, multilocular, with one ovule in each locule, placentation axile, style long and stigmas as many as carpels.
  • Fruits : Multiridged Capsule (carserule)
  • Seeds : Reniform, blackish-brown, minutely pitted and stellate-hairy.
  • Flowering and Fruiting time : Throughout the year.
  • Significance :
    • The leaves are demulcent.
    • The bark astringent.
    • Seeds are laxative and demulcent.
    • Stem yields a valuable fibre.