Nama latin: Achillea millefolium
Nama daerah: Godong sewu; Daun hidung berdarah; Gandana; Momadra
Deskripsi tanaman: Herba (Rumput – rumputan)tinggi 15-50 cm. Daun bercangap menyirip, pada masa vegetatif, daun tumbuh membentuk roset, karena batang belum muncul di atas tanah, lebar anak daun hanya 2 mm. Bunga pada tandannya membentuk payung berwarna kemerahan atau putih, tabungnya berwarna kuning, pada saat berbunga tangkainya tumbuh cepat sehingga tampak ruasnya memanjang. Buahnya kecil-kecil dan kulit tidak pecah.
Habitat: Tumbuh baik pada ketinggian tempat 900-1500 m dpl.
Bagian tanaman yang digunakan: Seluruh bagian tumbuhan
Kandungan kimia: Akhileina; Stakhidrina; Kholina; Polina; Apigenin; Inulin; Flavon; Glikosida benzaldehidsianhidrin; Zat samak; Asparagin; Minyak lemak.
Khasiat: Diaforetik; Antipiretik; Diuretik; Hipotensif; Antiseptik.
Nama simplesia: Achilleae millefolli Herba
Resep tradisional:
Gangguan syaraf:
Daun seribu kering 30 g; Air 2 gelas, Daun direbus hingga cairannya tinggal 1 gelas, Diminum setiap jam
Gangguan pencernaan:
Daun seribu ditumbuk halus 1 sendok makan; Madu 1 sendok makan, Keduanya diaduk menjadi satu, Sehari minum 3 kali; tiap kali minum 1 cangkir; setiap hari hendaknya makan buah pepaya.
Gangguan pencernaan:
Daun seribu ditumbuk halus 1 sendok makan; Madu 1
sendok makan, Keduanya diaduk menjadi satu, Sehari minum 3 kali; tiap
kali minum 1 cangkir; setiap hari hendaknya makan buah pepaya.
Untuk obat nyeri haid:
Yang dipakai 20 gram daun Achillea millefolium, dicuci dan direbus dengan 1 gelas air selama 15 menit, seteiah dingin disaring. Hasil saringan diminum sekaligus
Gangguan syaraf:
Daun seribu kering 30 g; Air 2 gelas, Daun direbus hingga cairannya tinggal 1 gelas, Diminum setiap jam
Selain buah, daun pohon anggota famili Moraceae itu juga berkhasiat menurunkan kadar gula darah. Begitulah hasil riset ilmiah C Perez, peneliti di Fakultas Kedokteran Universidad de Extremadura, Badajos, Spanyol. Ia memberikan ekstrak air daun tin kepada 13 tikus pengidap diabetes selama 3 pekan. Hasilnya, gula darah tikus turun signifikan. Perez menyebutkan kemampuan daun tin menurunkan gula darah lantaran memiliki senyawa aktif yang berfungsi mirip insulin. Insulin merupakan hormon yang diproduksi sel betapankreas untuk menurunkan kadar gula berlebih dalam darah.
Gangguan syaraf
Daun violces secukupnya; Daun leng-lengan secukupnya; Daun seribu secukupnya; Daun Sambang darah secukupnya; Air secukupnya, Semua bahan tersebut dididihkan, lalu setelah dingin disaring dengan kain bersih, Diminun sedikit demi sedikit sampai habis.
Lemah syaraf
Akar valerian 30 g; Daun leng-lengan 20 g; Daun seribu 20 g; Daun sambang darah 20 g; Air 500 ml, Ramuan direbus sampai mendidih selama 15 menit, Diminum 3-4 kali sehari.
Daun seribu di Sumatera dikenal sebagai daun saribu sedangkan di Jawa disebut daun seribu, godong sewu, dan daun hidung berdarah. Orang Belanda menyebutnya duizenblad dan orang bule menyebutnya milfoil. Nama ilmiahnya Achillea millefolium L termasuk familia Asteraceae. Masih ada lagi sebutan untuk daun seribu yaitu blood wort atau daun hidung berdarah.
Dinamakan daun seribu karena daunnya lebat sekali seperti jarum dan lembut. Merupakan tumbuhan liar yang hidup di ladang-ladang datara rendah hingga ketinggian 1.700 meter di atas permukaan laut. Tergolong herba pendek setinggi 15-45 cm. bunganya bewarna putih, namun ada juga yang bewarna ungu muda dan merah, kuntum bunga kecil-kecil membentuk tandan seperti payung.
Baik bunga maupun daunnya yang kecil-kecil itu terlihat cukup indah, sehingga daun seribu ditanam juga sebagai tanaman hias. Daun seribu atau blood wort mempunyai daun dan bunga yang beraroma agak wangi karena kandungan minyak eternya.
Kandungan zat berkhasiat
Daun seribu dikalangan peracik jamu dikenal dengan nama simplisia Achilleae folium. Kandungan kimia berkhasiat obat pada daunnya antra lain minya atsiri, akilein, stakidrin (alkaloida), kolin, poliin, inulin, asam askorbat (vitamin C), minyak lemak, harsa, glikosida dan flavon. Sedangkan bunganya mengandung minyak atsiri, akilein, dan zat samak.
Kegunaan
Karena kandungan kimia itulah daun seribu sering digunakan para wanita untuk mengatasi gangguan pada alat reproduksi perempuan. Gangguan seperti ini biasanya datang ketika berlangsung menstruasi. Namun kerap kali juga akibat gangguan menstruasi tidak teratur tibanya.
Selain peluruh haid, daun seribu juga berkhasiat untuk peluruh kentut (obat masuk angin), peluruh keringat, pencahar (obat sembelit), dan penurun panas (obat demam).
Mengatasi gangguan selama haid
Satu genggam atau sekitar 15 gram daun seribu segar dan bunganya dicuci bersih. Tambahkan air 500 cc (½ liter) dan direbus. Biarkan mendidih 3 menit. Air rebusan disaring dan diminum setelah dingin.
Kalau tidak direbus, daun dan bunganya bisa juga diseduh atau direndam kedalam air panas selama 30 menit. Air seduhan disaring dan diminum setelah dingin.
Mengatasi haid yang tak teratur tibanya
Satu genggam daun seribu yang masih segar direbus dengan 3 gelas air. Biarkan terus mendidih hingga air rebusan tinggal satu gelas. Air rebusan ini diminum 3 kali sehari menjelang datang haid.
Kalau untuk mengurangi ganguan di atas, resep yang pertama bisa diminum 3-4 hari sebelum datang menstruasi. Atau air rebusan/seduhan diminum hingga rasa nyeri berkurang.
obat :
http://www.bodybuilding.com/store/mn/liver-stabil.html
Daftar Simplisa
Sabtu, 02 November 2013
ABRI FOLIUM
ABRI FOLIUM
Nama Lain : Daun saga
Nama Tanaman Asal : Abrus precatorius ( L. )
Keluarga : Papilionaceae
Zat Berkhasiat Utama / Isi : Glisirizin sampai 15 %,
Ca-Oksalat
Penggunaan : Obat Sariawan
Pemerian : Bau lemah, rasa agak manis, khas
Bagian Yang Digunakan : Anak daun
Waktu Panen : Panen pertama dapat dilakukan setelah tanaman berumur 6 – 9 bulan.
Cara panenan daun yang praktis adalah dengan memangkas tanaman setinggi 25 – 30 cm dari tanah. Dengan cara ini diperoleh kenaikan produksi daun dibanding dengan cara dipetik tanpa dipangkas
Penyimpanan : Dalam wadah tertutup baik
Sumatra : Thaga (Aceh), hasobe (Batak), kunderi (Lampung, sago batino (Minangkabau)
- Kalimantan : Saga (Sampit), taning bajang (Dayak)
- Jawa : saga areuy, saga cai (Sunda), saga telik, saga manis (Jawa)
- Nusa Tenggara : Maat metan (Timor). Piling-piling (Bali),
- Maluku : war kamasin, mali-mali
1. Nama tanaman
Nama lokal: saga
Nama herba: Abri Folium
2. Klasifikasi Tanaman
Divisi : Spermatophyta
Sub divisi : Angiosperrnae
Kelas : Dicotyledonae
Bangsa : Resales
Suku : Leguminosae
Marga : Abrus
Jenis : Abrus precatorius Linn
(Inventaris Tanaman Obat Indonesia,1994)
3. Morfologi Tanaman
Daunnya majemuk, berbentuk bulat telur serta berukuran kecil-kecil. Daun Saga bersirip ganjil dan memiliki rasa agak manis. Saga mempunyai buah polong berisi biji-biji yang berwarna merah dengan titik hitam mengkilat dan licin. Bunganya berwarna ungu muda dengan bentuk menyerupai kupu-kupu, dalam tandan bunga.
4. Kandungan Kimia
Daun maupun akar mengandung protein, vitamin A,B1, B6, C, kalsium oksalat, glisirizin, flisirizinat, polygalacturomic acid dan pentosan. Daun, batang dan biji : saponin dan flavonoid. Batang : polifenol. Biji : tannin. Akar : alkaloid, saponin dan polifenol.
Kandungan kimia adalah luteolin, Isoorientin, L-Abrine, Precatorin I, II, III, Abruquinone D, E, F, Abrussaponin I, II (lebih lengkap klik di sini).
Kegunaan dan Khasiat
Berkhasiat sebagai obat sariawan, obat batuk dan obat radang tenggorokan.
5. Habitat dan Penyebarannya
buah saga
Gambar 2. Buah saga
Tumbuhan ini banyak tumbuh secara liar di hutan-hutan, ladang-ladang atau sengaja dipelihara di pekarangan. Tumbuh dengan baik pada daerah dataran rendah sampai ketinggian 1000 meter di atas permukaan laut.
Nama latin: Abrus precatorius Linn
Nama daerah: Saga manis; Sogo telik; Si manis; Sagacai; Saga areuy; Piling-piling
Deskripsi tanaman: Perdu, merambat dan membelit, batang berkayu bercabang, batang muda berwarna hijau dan setelah tua berwarna hijau kecokelatan. Daun majemuk, berselang-seling, menyirip ganjil, anak daun bulat telur, warna hijau. Perbungaan bentuk tandan. Buah polong. Biji bulat telur, warna merah bernoda hitam
Habitat: Tumbuh liar di semak belukar dan sebagai tanaman pekarangan pada ketinggian 250-900 m dpl
Bagian tanaman yang digunakan: Akar; Daun; Biji
Kandungan kimia: Glisirhizin; Prekatorina; Abrin; Trigonelina; Kholina; Zat beracun toksalbumin glikosida; Hemoglutinin; Zat racun abrulin
Khasiat: Antiinflamasi; Diuretik; Antitusif; Parasitisida
Nama simplesia: Abri Folium
Resep tradisional:
Batuk
Daun saga 1 genggam; Buah adas 5 butir; Kayu pulasari 1/2 jari tangan; Air 110 ml, Direbus sampai mendidih , Diminum 1 kali sehari 100 ml.
Sariawan
Daun Saga 2 g; Daun Pegagan 2 g; Rasuk angin 1 g; Kulit kayu turi 1/2 jari tangan; Akar manis 1 jari tangan; Air 110 ml, Direbus sampai mendidih , Diminum 1 kali sehari 100 ml.
Sariawan :Daun tumbuhan ini, bila dikombinasikan dengan daun sirih, menjadi obat tradisional yang ampuh mengatasi seriawan.[1] Khasiat ini berasal dari beberapa bahan aktif abrus lactone, asam abrusgenat, dan turunan metilnya. Daunnya juga mengandung glycyrrhizin.
Wasir
Daun saga 1 genggam; Herba Pegagan 1 genggam; Daun Patikan Cina (serbuk)1 sendok teh; Akar Kelembak (serbuk)1/2 sendok teh; Rimpang temu lawak 7 keping; Air 110 ml , Direbus sampai mendidih, Diminum 1 kali sehari 100 ml.
Sari Asih: As a traditional helps to reduce fatigue.
Sari Asih: Curcumae Rhizoma, Retrofracti Fructus, Abri Folium, Blumeae Folium.
Batuk : Composition: Zingiberis Rhizoma, Foeniculli Fructus, Abri Folium, Thymi Herba, Cumini Fructus
Batuk :
1. Thymi herba ekstrak
2. Abri folium ekstrak
3. Olevin foeniculi
4. Olevin menthae piperitae
Batuk :
(Obat Batuk herbal Generasi terbaru)
Komposisi tiap 5 ml :
Thymus vulgaris 200 mg
Abri Folium 20 mg
Foeneculum vulgare oil 3 mg
Herba menthae piperita 3 mg
Sariawan :Glisirhizin; Prekatorina, Abrin, Trigonelina, Kholina, substansi glikosida toksalbumin berbahaya; Hemoglutinin; abrulin substansi beracun.
Manfaat Obat : Anti inflamasi, diuretik, Â Antitusive; Â Parasitiside
Membuat adalah untuk mengambil daun bijak secukupnya. Baru bijak daun dipetik, dikeringkan di bawah sinar matahari harus beberapa menit layu. Lalu, daun saga bisa dikunyah sampai halus dan digunakan untuk berkumur
Batuk : Komposisi : Centella Herba (Herba Pegagan), Kaempferia Rhizoma (Rimpang Kencur), Abri Folium (Daun Saga).
Melegakan tengorokan : euphorbia hirta herba 0,15 g; zingiberis rhizoma 6 g; cinnamomum cortex 0,6 g; cardamomum fructus 0,15 g; caryophyllum flos 0,6 g; piperis folium 1,8 g; abri folium 0,3 g; mentha arvensis folium 0,015 g; hibiscus tilliaceus folium 0,15 g; oleum mentha piperitae 0,015 ml; succus liquiritae 0,015 g; mel depuratum 1000 ml
Funsi
Melancarkan peredaran darah dan membersihkan darah.
Memperbaiki pencernaan, dan melancarkan air seni.
Menyehatkan liver dan empedu.
Meningkatkan daya tahan tubuh.
Resep : Abri Folium 10%
Curcuma Domisticae Rhizoma 15%
Plantaginis Folium 5%
Mel Depuratum 10%
Orthosiphonis Folium 5%
Phyllanthi Herba 30%
Tinosfora Caulis 10%
dan bahan – bahan lainnya sampai 100%
Nama Lain : Daun saga
Nama Tanaman Asal : Abrus precatorius ( L. )
Keluarga : Papilionaceae
Zat Berkhasiat Utama / Isi : Glisirizin sampai 15 %,
Ca-Oksalat
Penggunaan : Obat Sariawan
Pemerian : Bau lemah, rasa agak manis, khas
Bagian Yang Digunakan : Anak daun
Waktu Panen : Panen pertama dapat dilakukan setelah tanaman berumur 6 – 9 bulan.
Cara panenan daun yang praktis adalah dengan memangkas tanaman setinggi 25 – 30 cm dari tanah. Dengan cara ini diperoleh kenaikan produksi daun dibanding dengan cara dipetik tanpa dipangkas
Penyimpanan : Dalam wadah tertutup baik
Sumatra : Thaga (Aceh), hasobe (Batak), kunderi (Lampung, sago batino (Minangkabau)
- Kalimantan : Saga (Sampit), taning bajang (Dayak)
- Jawa : saga areuy, saga cai (Sunda), saga telik, saga manis (Jawa)
- Nusa Tenggara : Maat metan (Timor). Piling-piling (Bali),
- Maluku : war kamasin, mali-mali
1. Nama tanaman
Nama lokal: saga
Nama herba: Abri Folium
2. Klasifikasi Tanaman
Divisi : Spermatophyta
Sub divisi : Angiosperrnae
Kelas : Dicotyledonae
Bangsa : Resales
Suku : Leguminosae
Marga : Abrus
Jenis : Abrus precatorius Linn
(Inventaris Tanaman Obat Indonesia,1994)
3. Morfologi Tanaman
Daunnya majemuk, berbentuk bulat telur serta berukuran kecil-kecil. Daun Saga bersirip ganjil dan memiliki rasa agak manis. Saga mempunyai buah polong berisi biji-biji yang berwarna merah dengan titik hitam mengkilat dan licin. Bunganya berwarna ungu muda dengan bentuk menyerupai kupu-kupu, dalam tandan bunga.
4. Kandungan Kimia
Daun maupun akar mengandung protein, vitamin A,B1, B6, C, kalsium oksalat, glisirizin, flisirizinat, polygalacturomic acid dan pentosan. Daun, batang dan biji : saponin dan flavonoid. Batang : polifenol. Biji : tannin. Akar : alkaloid, saponin dan polifenol.
Kandungan kimia adalah luteolin, Isoorientin, L-Abrine, Precatorin I, II, III, Abruquinone D, E, F, Abrussaponin I, II (lebih lengkap klik di sini).
Kegunaan dan Khasiat
Berkhasiat sebagai obat sariawan, obat batuk dan obat radang tenggorokan.
5. Habitat dan Penyebarannya
buah saga
Gambar 2. Buah saga
Tumbuhan ini banyak tumbuh secara liar di hutan-hutan, ladang-ladang atau sengaja dipelihara di pekarangan. Tumbuh dengan baik pada daerah dataran rendah sampai ketinggian 1000 meter di atas permukaan laut.
Nama latin: Abrus precatorius Linn
Nama daerah: Saga manis; Sogo telik; Si manis; Sagacai; Saga areuy; Piling-piling
Deskripsi tanaman: Perdu, merambat dan membelit, batang berkayu bercabang, batang muda berwarna hijau dan setelah tua berwarna hijau kecokelatan. Daun majemuk, berselang-seling, menyirip ganjil, anak daun bulat telur, warna hijau. Perbungaan bentuk tandan. Buah polong. Biji bulat telur, warna merah bernoda hitam
Habitat: Tumbuh liar di semak belukar dan sebagai tanaman pekarangan pada ketinggian 250-900 m dpl
Bagian tanaman yang digunakan: Akar; Daun; Biji
Kandungan kimia: Glisirhizin; Prekatorina; Abrin; Trigonelina; Kholina; Zat beracun toksalbumin glikosida; Hemoglutinin; Zat racun abrulin
Khasiat: Antiinflamasi; Diuretik; Antitusif; Parasitisida
Nama simplesia: Abri Folium
Resep tradisional:
Batuk
Daun saga 1 genggam; Buah adas 5 butir; Kayu pulasari 1/2 jari tangan; Air 110 ml, Direbus sampai mendidih , Diminum 1 kali sehari 100 ml.
Sariawan
Daun Saga 2 g; Daun Pegagan 2 g; Rasuk angin 1 g; Kulit kayu turi 1/2 jari tangan; Akar manis 1 jari tangan; Air 110 ml, Direbus sampai mendidih , Diminum 1 kali sehari 100 ml.
Sariawan :Daun tumbuhan ini, bila dikombinasikan dengan daun sirih, menjadi obat tradisional yang ampuh mengatasi seriawan.[1] Khasiat ini berasal dari beberapa bahan aktif abrus lactone, asam abrusgenat, dan turunan metilnya. Daunnya juga mengandung glycyrrhizin.
Wasir
Daun saga 1 genggam; Herba Pegagan 1 genggam; Daun Patikan Cina (serbuk)1 sendok teh; Akar Kelembak (serbuk)1/2 sendok teh; Rimpang temu lawak 7 keping; Air 110 ml , Direbus sampai mendidih, Diminum 1 kali sehari 100 ml.
Sari Asih: As a traditional helps to reduce fatigue.
Sari Asih: Curcumae Rhizoma, Retrofracti Fructus, Abri Folium, Blumeae Folium.
Batuk : Composition: Zingiberis Rhizoma, Foeniculli Fructus, Abri Folium, Thymi Herba, Cumini Fructus
Batuk :
1. Thymi herba ekstrak
2. Abri folium ekstrak
3. Olevin foeniculi
4. Olevin menthae piperitae
Batuk :
(Obat Batuk herbal Generasi terbaru)
Komposisi tiap 5 ml :
Thymus vulgaris 200 mg
Abri Folium 20 mg
Foeneculum vulgare oil 3 mg
Herba menthae piperita 3 mg
Sariawan :Glisirhizin; Prekatorina, Abrin, Trigonelina, Kholina, substansi glikosida toksalbumin berbahaya; Hemoglutinin; abrulin substansi beracun.
Manfaat Obat : Anti inflamasi, diuretik, Â Antitusive; Â Parasitiside
Membuat adalah untuk mengambil daun bijak secukupnya. Baru bijak daun dipetik, dikeringkan di bawah sinar matahari harus beberapa menit layu. Lalu, daun saga bisa dikunyah sampai halus dan digunakan untuk berkumur
Batuk : Komposisi : Centella Herba (Herba Pegagan), Kaempferia Rhizoma (Rimpang Kencur), Abri Folium (Daun Saga).
Melegakan tengorokan : euphorbia hirta herba 0,15 g; zingiberis rhizoma 6 g; cinnamomum cortex 0,6 g; cardamomum fructus 0,15 g; caryophyllum flos 0,6 g; piperis folium 1,8 g; abri folium 0,3 g; mentha arvensis folium 0,015 g; hibiscus tilliaceus folium 0,15 g; oleum mentha piperitae 0,015 ml; succus liquiritae 0,015 g; mel depuratum 1000 ml
Funsi
Melancarkan peredaran darah dan membersihkan darah.
Memperbaiki pencernaan, dan melancarkan air seni.
Menyehatkan liver dan empedu.
Meningkatkan daya tahan tubuh.
Resep : Abri Folium 10%
Curcuma Domisticae Rhizoma 15%
Plantaginis Folium 5%
Mel Depuratum 10%
Orthosiphonis Folium 5%
Phyllanthi Herba 30%
Tinosfora Caulis 10%
dan bahan – bahan lainnya sampai 100%
Jumat, 01 November 2013
okra
OKRA
( AKAR KAPASAN)
Given
the fact that it already grows almost everywhere in the tropical,
subtropical,
and warm temperate regions, okra ( akar kapasan) would seem misplaced in a
book
on lost crops. Furthermore, only in a few locations has it developed
into
a major resource. Although perhaps a hundred nations know this
African
species first hand, none has raised it to anything like the heights
attained
by, say, cabbage, carrot, or common bean in the western world. For
this
there seems good reason: People generally don’t take to okra ( akar kapasan).
In a 1974
survey
made by the United States Department of Agriculture, for instance,
adults
named okra ( akar kapasan) as one of the three vegetables they liked least, and
children
rated it with the four they liked second-least. 1
The
sticky, mucilaginous juice inside the pods is the main objection. That slime
blinds everyone to the plant’s greater potential. Of course, there are
places
where okra ( akar kapasan) is regarded with something akin to reverence.
Neither
New
Orleans nor West
Africa, for instance, would be the same without
it. But, given the crop’s overall status, most observers would logically
conclude that okra ( akar kapasan)’s natural limit as a global resource was
reached long ago.
Seen
in even broader perspective, however, that would be a suspect
conclusion.
In reality okra ( akar kapasan) could have a future that will make people
puzzle
over
why earlier generations failed to seize the opportunity before their eyes. In
the Botanical
Kingdom
it may actually be a Cinderella, though still living
on
the hearth of neglect amid the ashes of scorn. Following are some reasons
why
it could soon rise and take a place alongside the royalty of crop plants.
This
plant is perfect as a villager’s crop. For one thing it is easy to grow,
robust,
and little affected by pests and diseases. Also, it adapts to difficult
conditions
and can grow well where other food plants prove unreliable. For
another,
it provides good yields and possibly more products than any other
vegetable.
For a third, it is full of nutrients. And, economically speaking, its products
are within almost everyone’s reach.
LOST
CROPS OF AFRICA
288
For
a food resource, the okra ( akar kapasan) plant is strange; it is a coarse,
upright herb
bearing
fuzzy green pods somewhat reminiscent of beans. Their mucilage may turn off
newcomers, but many Africans, and a growing number of
others,
consider the slithery texture no deterrent—indeed, they see it as
perhaps
okra ( akar kapasan)’s most desirable feature. A popular soup vegetable, very
much
appreciated
in West Africa
for its thickening power, okra ( akar kapasan) pod is used both
fresh
and dried.2 Dry pods are also
pounded into flour that is commonly added to foods. In the Sahel,
this flour is also used in the final stages of preparing couscous, as it
prevents the granules sticking to each other. In America,
where it appears almost exclusively in stews and soups, okra ( akar kapasan)
is
usually seen in cross section, cut into disks that look like little cartwheels
with
a seed nestled between each pair of spokes. Okra ( akar kapasan) is also the
key ingredient in gumbo, the famous dish of the American South.
The
plant is primarily employed, of course, as a vegetable; its pods,
seeds,
leaves, and shoots, as well as the outer cover of the flowers (calyx) are all
eaten as boiled greens. But that is just the beginning. Okra ( akar kapasan)
seeds contain protein as well as oil possessing qualities like those of olive
oil, the standard of excellence. And the seeds produce their protein and oil in
goodly
quantities.
One experiment in Puerto Rico
documented yields of 612 kg per
hectare
oil and 658 kg per hectare protein.3 Such
quantities rival those of other oil-and-protein crops of both temperate and
tropical zones.
Like
soybean, the seed provides excellent vegetable protein for uses including full-
and fat-free meals, flours, protein concentrates and isolates, cooking oils,
lecithin, and nutraceuticals (foods with functional health benefits). Okra (
akar kapasan) protein is both rich in tryptophan and adequate in the sulfur-
containing
amino acids, a rare combination that should give it exceptional
power
to reduce human malnutrition. In addition, byproducts such as hulls
and
fiber can be used for animal feeds.
Even
the “slime” might be marketable. The plant could have a future in
serving
the booming markets for health foods. Given an aging global
population
increasingly concerned over sickness prevention, mucilage is big
business
these days. Gums and pectins of a type comprising nearly half of
each
okra ( akar kapasan) pod are thought to help lower serum cholesterol in the
bloodstream.4
Okra ( akar kapasan) is also widely recommended as one dietary
tool to help stabilize blood sugar in diabetics, because its high soluble fiber
may cut the
pace
at which sugars are absorbed from the intestine.
The
plant could have a future also as a supplier of commercial laxative
ingredients.
Its gelatinous substances absorb water, swell, and ensure the
bulky
stools that obviate and overcome constipation. Any and all dietary fiber is
helpful but okra ( akar kapasan) seems to rank with two crops now commanding
multimillion-dollar
markets: flaxseed and psyllium.5 In
other words, this
vegetable
may not only bind excess cholesterol and toxins but assure their
quick
and easy passage out of the body.
The
okra ( akar kapasan) plant could also provide the world with mucilage for
topical
use.
A similar polysaccharide gum comes from aloe vera, a traditional plant
exploding
in use because its products are believed to help heal wounds, soothe burns,
minimize frostbite damage, and perhaps provide other medicinal benefits. Despite
a lack of detailed evidence, there seems no reason why okra (
LOST
CROPS OF AFRICA
now
employ aloe vera. Already it is the hidden ingredient that makes catsup so hard
to get out of the bottle. Okra ( akar kapasan) gum is also potentially useful
as an
extender
of serum albumin and egg whites. It has even been used to size
paper
in Malaysia.
This
versatile plant could also have a future producing top-of-the-line
paper
of the sort used to make fine documents and currency. In this case, the
fibers
on the outside of the stalk are used. Okra ( akar kapasan) has “bast fiber”
like that of
its
close cousin kenaf (Hibiscus cannabinus).
Both these fast-growing, look-
alike
African cousins open the possibility of farmers joining foresters to fill
the
world’s insatiable demand for paper. In the United
States, kenaf has
already
created a small industry. Kenaf is said to produce annually more paper per
hectare than southern pine, the country’s most productive
papermaking
tree. And it is harvested every five months, rather than every
30
years, which eases market planning and makes for many other
efficiencies.
Moreover, kenaf paper is stronger, whiter, longer lasting, more resistant to
yellowing, and has better ink adherence than pine-tree paper. Although it
apparently hasn’t been tested yet, okra ( akar kapasan) paper seems likely to
be
just
as good.
Beyond
all that, this plant could have a future also as a producer of
various
products used to soak up liquids. These special materials are made from the
pith that remains after the stem fiber has been stripped away. In
kenaf,
this byproduct is proving suitable for animal bedding, for sopping up
oil
spills, for chicken and kitty litter, and for potting soil. It seems likely
that
okra
( akar kapasan)’s counterparts would be comparable.
Based
on the rising experiences with its country cousin, okra ( akar kapasan) could,
at least in principle, have a future producing yet more things that are strange
for
a vegetable crop, including:
Construction
materials. (Kenaf-blend panels are said to perform
better
than the present particleboard.)
Handicrafts.
(Kenaf fiber makes excellent mats, hats, baskets, and
more.)
Forage.
(Chopping up the whole kenaf plant and feeding it to
animals
has proven successful.)
Fuel.
(Kenaf roots and stems of burn fiercely.)
In
sum, this African resource could be a tool for improving nutrition, rural life,
rural development, foreign exchange, and much more.
PROSPECTS
Seen
in light of the above information, okra ( akar kapasan) might have a grand
future as
an
industrial crop. And there seems to be little difficulty in producing the
plant
on a large scale. In the United
States, for example,
some is already
produced
in quantities big enough for the pods to be canned, frozen, or brined for the
nation’s supermarkets. As a fresh vegetable the crop’s
prospects
are more enigmatic, but positive for all that. As with avocado or
whisky,
the palate’s initial resistance usually mellows with greater exposure.
But
at core, it is an African vegetable whose greatest beneficence may well
lie
with its people.
Within
Africa
Humid Areas Excellent. Fast-maturing
types are well suited to tropical
heat
and humidity.
Dry Areas Excellent.
Although not structurally adapted to growing under desert conditions, the plant
shows remarkable tolerance to drought and heat
and
can generally perform reliably in Africa’s
savanna regions.
here should
be
no trouble finding varieties to fit into localities up to about 1,000 m in
elevation that have a reasonable growing season.
Beyond
Africa
Okra
( akar kapasan) is clearly not restricted to Africa.
Indeed, it performs exceptionally well elsewhere. In South
Asia as well as in tropical America,
China,
and
perhaps
Australia
and the United States,
it might well become a new
agroindustrial
resource.
USES
Everything
part of this plant seems to offer some useful purpose or other.
Pods In their immature
form the pods are the plant’s main edible portion. Although mainly employed as
a boiled vegetable, they can be stir-fried,
battered
and deep-fat fried, microwaved, steamed, baked, and grilled. Some are blanched
and processed as a frozen (plain or breaded), pickled, or canned
product.
Whether boiled, added to soups, or sliced and fried, the pods have a unique
flavor and texture. They may be used alone or mixed with other
vegetables.
Mucilage released when okra ( akar kapasan) slices are fried is known to be a
good
thickening agent for gravy. In West Africa,
young pods are thinly
sliced
to prepare okra ( akar kapasan) soup, which has been called “a perfect partner
with
fufu”
(the region’s main staple, made of starchy roots).
Inside
the dried pods the gums stay intact and remain useful for flavoring and
thickening foods. West Africans slice, sun dry, and grind pods into a
powder
that is put away for the hungry time that hits each year just before
the
new harvest. In Turkey
the pods are strung out to dry for winter use.
Seeds Typically, the
seeds are obtained from pods that become too
mature
to be eaten fresh. The cooked pods can also be squeezed to expel the seeds.
Those seeds are commonly used in place of dried peas or beans or
lentils
in soups or in other dishes, including rice.
Coffee Substitute Mature
dried seeds can be roasted and ground as a coffee substitute. This was once
widely used in places like El
Salvador and
other
Central American nations, Africa,
and Malaysia.
According to one
report
“the resulting ‘coffee’ has a good aroma and is inoffensive, since it
lacks
the stimulating effect of caffeine.” A prominent book on African wild
foods
calls okra ( akar kapasan) “one of the best coffee substitutes known.”
Oil and Protein Okra ( akar
kapasan) seed’s potential as a source of oil and protein has
l
OKRA
( AKAR KAPASAN) 293
This
greenish-yellow liquid has a pleasant odor and a high (70 percent)
content
of unsaturated fatty acids, especially linoleic and oleic. It has a short
shelf
life but is readily hydrogenated and could be used to make margarine or
shortening.
The
residue left after oil extraction is a possible feedstuff. It contains
over
40 percent protein as well as relatively high amounts of thiamin, niacin,
and
tocopherol. But some lingering questions of possible toxicity remain to be
answered (see later).
Curd A research team
in Puerto Rico
has surprisingly found that okra ( akar kapasan) can
be
turned into “tofu.”6 Led by Franklin
Martin, the experimenters ground the
seeds
finely in water, strained the aqueous mixture through a cloth filter, and
precipitated the protein by adding bivalent salts (such as magnesium sulfate)
or
acid (vinegar or lime juice). A taste panel found okra ( akar kapasan)-tofu
pleasant to eat
fresh
or cooked or as a cheese substitute. The protein and oil contents were
as
high as 43 and 53 percent, respectively.7
Leaves In areas where a
wide variety of leaves are eaten (notably West
Africa
and Southeast Asia)
tender okra ( akar kapasan) leaves are often part of the daily diet. They are
most frequently cooked like spinach or added to soups and stews.
Some
okra ( akar kapasan) varieties have hairy leaves, an objectionable feature
reduced by
cooking;
others are hairless. In West Africa
the tender shoots, flower buds, and calyces are traditionally thrown into the
pot as well. As with the pods,
okra
( akar kapasan) leaves are frequently dried in the sun, crushed, or ground to a
powder, and stored for future use. In taste, they are somewhat acidic. By
carefully picking lower parts of the plant it is possible to get a good crop of
leaves without reducing the number of seedpods further up the stem.
Biomass At the end of the
harvest season, the remaining foliage and
stems
can weigh 27 tons per hectare. This is quite burnable. The stems
generate
considerable heat but no sparks, excessive smoke, or bad smell. On
the
other hand, these light stems burn only briefly and to be useful may need a
special stove. With fuel costs rising worldwide and new technologies promising
efficient conversion to liquid fuels, okra ( akar kapasan) biomass seems likely
to
become
notably useful, especially as more tropical forests are destroyed.
Mucilage Obtaining the
mucilage is simple. Slices of the immature pod
are
merely placed in water. Boiling thickens the mix. The mucilage is actually an
acidic polysaccharide composed of galacturonic acid, rhamnose,
and
glucose. It achieves maximum viscosity at neutral pH, and tends to
break
down when overheated.
Ornamental Okra ( akar
kapasan) is closely related to the common ornamentals known
as
flowering hibiscus, making okra ( akar kapasan)’s large and attractive blossoms
seem somehow familiar (although they are yellow and sometimes come with a
crimson
center). The pods also have an interesting shape, and those that become too
hard to eat can be dried, cured, and felicitously slipped into everlasting
flower arrangements.
Medicinal Use People in the
East have long used the leaves and immature fruit in poultices to relieve pain.
NUTRITION
Okra
( akar kapasan) is more a diet food than staple. Pods are low in calories
(scarcely 20 per 100 g cooked), practically no fat, and high in fiber. It does
provide several valuable nutrients, including about 30 percent of recommended
levels
of vitamin C (16-20 mg), 10-20 percent folate (46-88 g), and a little
more
than 5 percent vitamin A (14-20 RAE).
The
leaves provide protein, calcium, iron, and vitamins A and C. No
toxic
substances have been reported in the leaves.
As
noted earlier, the seeds are potentially a good source of an especially
nutritious
protein. In screening a large collection of seeds in Puerto
Rico, it
was
found that their protein contents varied from 18-27 percent.8
The
protein’s
amino-acid profile differed from that of either legumes or cereal
grains.9
It was rich in tryptophan (94 mg/g N) and had an adequate
content
of
sulfur-containing amino acids (189 mg/g N). This okra ( akar kapasan) protein
thus
complements,
balances, and fulfills that of cereal grains and legumes, not to mention root
crops. One advantage to processing okra ( akar kapasan) seed is its simplicity.
A hand mill and sieves were all it took to separate a high protein (33
percent),
high oil (32 percent) meal from the hull.10
HORTICULTURE
Today,
almost all okra ( akar kapasan) is interplanted with other crops in small
farms, in
backyard
gardens, and sometimes in truck farms established on the fringes of cities.
Only in a few places is it grown alone on large commercial fields.
Most
is direct seeded. Owing to the thick seedcoat, the seed is first soaked
overnight
to improve germination. Seedlings can also be transplanted from a
OKRA
( AKAR KAPASAN) 295
nursery.
Warm temperatures are needed both for good germination and good growth. Okra (
akar kapasan) is similar to cotton in its temperature requirements. Commercial okra
( akar kapasan) in the United
States is planted at a
population of 20,000-
30,000
plants per hectare.
The
crop is relatively free from pests and requires only minimal
maintenance.
However, in the southern United
States, it can be
subject to Verticillium and
Fusarium wilts,
and aphids, corn earworm, and stinkbugs
can
be major insect pests.
HARVESTING
AND HANDLING
Flowering
begins about 2 months after planting. Each flower then
develops
rapidly into a pod, which is typically harvested just 3-6 days after
the
flower formed. Pods harvested at this stage are tender, flavorful, and about
half grown. Any that remain on the plant quickly turn fibrous and
tough.
With
proper field management, continuous flowering and high production can be
maintained. Yields approaching 500 kg per picking per hectare (0.5 kg per
plant) may be produced during a harvest period of 30-40
days.
Okra ( akar kapasan) is usually harvested at least three times a week. The pods
have a
high
respiration rate and should be cooled quickly. Those in good condition
will
keep satisfactorily for 7 to 10 days at 7 to 10°C. A relative humidity of
90
to 95 percent helps prevent shriveling.
LIMITATIONS
The
most important step in any vegetable-okra ( akar kapasan) operation is
harvesting
the
pods correctly and regularly picking the pods every few days. That
induces
more production and greatly increases yield.
Fresh
okra ( akar kapasan) pods bruise easily, blackening within a few hours. A
bleaching
type of injury may also develop when they are held for more than
24
hours without cooling.
Some
okra ( akar kapasan) plants and pods have small spines to which some people are
allergic.
Picking the crop can produce itchy arms.
NEXT
STEPS
Of
all the earth’s useful plants this is one of the most misunderstood.
Taken
all round, it likely offers as many production possibilities as ever dreamed in
a single plant. However, it also is stuck in a mental warp.
Although
it holds enough potential to keep a dozen researchers productive for their
lifetimes, few are seriously developing it at present.
Industrial Developmen
thus
offers a possible route to prosperity for both small-scale and large-scale
producers in numerous nations. Here are some options.
Oilseed No one knows the
future okra ( akar kapasan) could have as an oilseed, but at
least
at first sight it could be quite big. The oil is easily extracted using either
solvent or mechanical press. Both the greenish-yellow color and the not
unpleasant odor are easily removed. Machinery for harvesting the seed has
been
developed and to extract the oil machinery designed for cottonseed can
be
employed.
Needed
now is a major follow-up to the work in Puerto
Rico, which has
been
overlooked since it was published decades ago.11 This
should start with
test
plantings large enough to yield samples of okra ( akar kapasan) seed oil and
protein for
modern
evaluation by chemists, food technologists, and industries that purchase
vegetable oils and proteins. It’s a big undertaking, considering that okra (
akar kapasan) oil and okra ( akar kapasan) seed protein have never been
produced in quantity before,
but
it could open the door to a new agroindustry for the warmer regions of
the
world.
Mucilage On the surface,
there seems no reason why okra ( akar kapasan) mucilage
cannot
play a part in supplying industries that now employ psyllium, flaxseed, and
aloe vera. However, confirmation is needed. Issues needing
clarification
include the performance of okra ( akar kapasan) product, safety, and likely
price
range.
Again, growers or researchers should produce enough for evaluation
by
chemists, food technologists, and companies that buy mucilaginous
materials.
Again, it could open up the possibilities to vast new industries for
many
lands.
Paper Pulp Any reader who
already grows okra ( akar kapasan) may by now be
wondering
if we really know the plant. But that is only because the types grown for
vegetable purposes are specially bred dwarfs, typically less than a
meter
in height and surely inappropriate for papermaking or fuel or particleboard.
However, among this species’ huge biodiversity are African
varieties
with stems towering 5 m and “trunks” like small trees (up to 10 cm diameter).
At least in principle, those can be harvested for pods, seeds, and
leaves
and later felled for fiber or fuel. Some varieties even show a perennial
nature.
This multi-year production—like the ratooning used with sugarcane—saves the
expense, trouble, and delay that comes with making a
second
planting.12
In
the temperate-zone summer most of these tall, robust, West African okra ( akar
kapasan)s bloom too late to set seed. Instead, they devote their considerable
energy
to vegetative growth. Far surpassing garden varieties in the
OKRA
( AKAR KAPASAN) 297
production
of fiber and biomass, they have the potential to revitalize okra ( akar
kapasan)
breeding
and okra ( akar kapasan) as a global resource.
These
tall types should be obtained and put into worldwide trials. Some trials should
involve side-by-side comparisons with kenaf.
Bioabsorbents Pith, as we’ve
said, comprises a major part of the stem. In
kenaf
it is proving suitable for animal bedding, oil-absorbents, chicken litter,
kitty
litter, and potting soil. Okra ( akar kapasan) pith samples should be gathered
and
compared
with kenaf’s. For these purposes, the two crops are less in
competition
than in cohoots. They can undoubtedly be marketed together
and
perhaps even mixed, thereby building a bigger, broader, and safer base
of
supply. Demand for bioabsorbents like these is likely to soar, both for the
needs
of environmental health and public health around the globe.
Horticultural Development Although
there has been considerable
selection
and breeding of okra ( akar kapasan), it has emphasized the production of
immature pods. The rest of the fantastic genetic diversity within this species
is basically untapped, or even unexplored. That situation should be changed,
and fast. Germplasm needs to be gathered up not only in Africa
but also in Asia
and other regions that know the crop. With this genetic variability in hand,
the way should be open for
improving
the compositional value of the crop for the various separate
products.
Varieties could be bred, for instance, for fiber, biomass, oil, protein,
mucilage (type and yield), color, and ornamental use. Breeding studies could
also be expanded to include improving yields, cultivation
conditions,
nutritional value, and nutraceuticals.
Okra
( akar kapasan) flowers are structured for insect-pollination (bees, wasps,
flies, and
beetles,
and perhaps even occasional birds), but self-pollination usually occurs and
both hand-pollination and seed handling are straightforward.
Controlled
breeding is thus not difficult, although success in bringing out some
characteristics may require very large populations and very careful
evaluation.
Toxicity Checks Although both okra
( akar kapasan) tofu and the protein-rich residue left after oil extraction
offer promising foods and feeds, there is a possible
drawback.
Okra ( akar kapasan) seeds, like cottonseeds, purportedly contain gossypol or a
gossypol-like
compound.13 All doubts will
have to be removed before
okra
( akar kapasan)seed can be employed as a protein source. Strangely, should
gossypol be
present
in commercial amounts it might possibly be used for the long-sought
male
contraceptive (see sidebar).
In
at least some okra ( akar kapasan)seed varieties the oil contains small
quantities of
cyclopropenoid
fatty acids. These unstable compounds have strong
LOST
CROPS OF AFRICA
298
physiological
effects and in hens are believed to suppress egg laying.
However,
the fact that some okra ( akar kapasan) plants had only low quantities (the
overall
range
was 0.26-5.59 percent) suggests that the problem might be bred out. These
unusual fatty acids are easily removed by heating the oil during processing,
but having none to start with would surely be better.
Basic Studies There are
undoubtedly many fascinating physiologic and genetic features of the plant to
investigate. Here are three that come to mind:
Ploidy Okra ( akar
kapasan) has a high number of chromosomes (2n=130) and
behaves
in some instances as a diploid and in others as a tetraploid. It is
thought
that one genome possibly comes from Abelmoschus
tuberculatus
(2n=58).
Modern techniques could likely go far in sorting out okra ( akar kapasan)’s
genetic
background
and chromosome make up.
Hybridization Crossings within
the species as well as possible
hybrids
with okra ( akar kapasan)’s close, interesting, and useful relatives ambrette
(Abelmoschus moschatus),
kenaf, and roselle (Hibiscus sabdariffa)
could
provide
fascinating plants with exceptional properties.
Okra ( akar kapasan)’s origin Many
publications still give the species’ origin as
India,
but that seems more current usage than scientific assessment. The vast
occurrence
of primitive types and wild relatives in Africa
(especially
Ethiopia)
indicates okra ( akar kapasan) is almost certainly African, but the lingering
doubt
should
be put to rest by groundwork and DNA testing.
Food Technology
Here,
too, are possibilities for fascinating research. Examples include:
Okra ( akar kapasan) Tea Okra
( akar kapasan)’s close cousin roselle has been making a name for
itself
in recent years as a major ingredient in non-caffeinated teas (notably in
the
United States,
where it stars in the popular Red Zinger Tea®).
Jamaicans
know
this okra ( akar kapasan) relative as sorrel and consider it one of the island’s
great
delicacies,
turning it not only into cooling beverages but into famous tarts
and
jellies as well. It is also a common tea in the Sahel,
where it was
introduced
to provide plant fiber and vitamin C, and has now naturalized. Okra ( akar
kapasan)s with red calyxes are known and should be tested for the possibility
of
producing
a counterpart.
Decaffeinated Coffee Could
okra ( akar kapasan) seed be a direct route to a really
good
caffeine-free beverage? That is something for which a market seems
more
promising now than ever before, and the possibility deserves at least a
look-see.
Gum-Free Okra ( akar kapasan) Needed
also is a simple test for mucilage content
that
would allow the germplasm to be screened. Then, pods of known
polysaccharide
content could be bred. Anyone creating gum-free okra ( akar kapasan) will
have
given the world a major new crop. Of course, anyone creating
OKRA
( AKAR KAPASAN) 299
exceptionally
gum-rich okra ( akar kapasan) will also give the world a major new crop. Progress and Public Relations In
spite of the fact that okra ( akar kapasan) is a
potentially
very important plant, little effort is being given to its development. As
noted, this is largely due to the public’s negative mindset.
To
overcome popular repugnance requires more than science…it requires
publicity.
Some sort of Okra ( akar kapasan) Appreciation Society would help give the
vegetable a good push. It might foster newspaper and magazine coverage of
okra
( akar kapasan)’s possibilities. And it might operate such things as contests,
recipes, home-economics courses, and nutritional awareness demonstrations.
Although
the plant’s prospects are high, its future depends on a mental
course
change to break it out of the slime still blinding everyone to the
crop’s
greater potential.
SPECIES
INFORMATION
Botanical Name Abelmoschus
esculentus (L.) Moench
Synonym Hibiscus
esculentus L.
Family Malvaceae
Common Names
Arabic: bamia, bamya,
bamieh
English: okro, lady’s
finger, ladies finger, gumbo
India:
bhindi, bindi, dheras, bandakai, vendakai
Chinese: ka fei huang
kui, huang su kui, huang qiu kui, qiu kui (medicinal name); chan qie, ch’aan k’e,
Ts’au kw’ai (Cantonese)
French: gombo, bamie-okra
( akar kapasan), ketmie comestible, ambrette
German: ocker
Spanish: gombo, ají
turco, quimbombo, ocra
Portuguese: gumbro,
quingombo, quiabo, quillobo
Akan (Twi): nkruman, nkruma
(okra ( akar kapasan))
Bantu: ki ngombo,
ngumbo, gombo
Congo, Angola:
quillobo, ki ngombo
Swahili: gumbo
Thai: krachiap khieo,
krachiap mon, bakhua mun
Greek: bamia
Hebrew: bamiya,
hibiscus ne’echal
Hungarian: gombó, bámia
Italian: gombo, ocra,
bammia d’egitto, corna di greci
Japanese: okura, Amerika
neri, kiku kimo Malaysia:
bendi, kacang bendi, kacang lender, sayur bendi , kacang lendir , kachang bendi
Indonesia:
kopi arab.
Description
Okra
( akar kapasan) is an annual herb typically reaching 2 m in height, but some
African varieties may grow up to 5 m tall, with a base stem of 10 cm in
diameter.
The
heart-shaped, lobed leaves have long stems and are attached to the
thick
woody stem. They may reach 30 cm in length and are generally hairy.
Flowers
are borne singly in the leaf axils and are usually yellow with a dark
red
or purple base. Some African varieties are photoperiod sensitive and
bloom
only in the late fall in temperate zones. It is largely to wholly self-
pollinated,
though some out-crossing is reported and it is often visited by bees.
The
pod (capsule, or fruit) is 10-25 centimeters long (shorter in the dwarf
varieties).
Generally, it is ribbed or round, and varying in color from yellow
to
red to green. It is pointed at the apex, hairy at the base, and tapered toward
the tip. It contains numerous oval seeds that are about the size of
peppercorns, white when immature and dark green to gray-black when
mature.
Distribution
The
plant is immensely adaptable and is widely distributed in the tropics,
subtropics, and warmer temperate zones. In essence, it grows almost everywhere
anyone tries to plant it.
Within Africa Of all the native food crops,
this is one of the most
widespread
within the continent. It is known from Mauritania
to Mauritius,
with most diversity centered around Ethiopia
and the Sudan.
Beyond Africa It is now grown
throughout southern Europe, Australasia, tropical Asia and America, the
Caribbean, and the United States, where it is best known in the southern region
but is also cultivated in Oregon and
California.
Turkey
grows okra ( akar kapasan) on a large scale.
Horticultural
Varieties
Many
cultivars have been selected for local conditions but in the main
there
are two types: the long and the short (quickly flowering) duration. The
cultivars
vary in plant height and in shape and color of the pod. With all the
different
cultivars and their variations, the particular kind of okra ( akar kapasan)
planted
usually
reflects what the local people prefer their dinner dishes to look like.
Although
okra ( akar kapasan) prefers a long, hot growing season, cultivars have been
developed
that are short in stature as well as fast maturing, and small fruited.
These
dwarf, short-duration types reach a height of 60 cm and require only 7
to
9 weeks to mature.
The
okra ( akar kapasan) seen in the temperate zones is fairly uniform. One survey
of Copyright © National Academy of
OKRA
( AKAR KAPASAN)
266
temperate-zone varieties found no consistent differences. But that is
misleading;
this species encompasses huge genetic diversity that not even okra ( akar
kapasan) specialists have ever seen—it just hasn’t been distributed in the
temperate
zones.
Environmental
Requirements
Okra
( akar kapasan) is a warm-season annual well-adapted to many soils and
climates.
Rainfall The plant
tolerates a wide variation in rainfall. Altitude
Most selections are adapted to the lowland humid tropics,
ranging
up to at least 1,000m.
Low Temperature Minimum soil
temperature for germination is 16°C. For good growth, night temperatures should
not fall below 13°C.
High Temperature An average temperature
of 20-30°C is appropriate for growth, flowering, and pod development. Most
cultivars are adapted to
consistently
high temperatures.
Soil A range of soil
types give good economic yields but (not unexpectedly) well-drained, fertile
substrates with adequate organic material
and
reserves of the major elements are ideal. Some cultivars are sensitive to
excessive
soil moisture, so well-drained, sandy locations are preferred. Neutral to
slightly alkaline conditions, pH 6.5-7.5, seem best.
Related
Species
The
genus Abelmoschus includes
from 6 to 15 species in the Afro-Asian
tropics
and North Australia.
One that stands out is abelmosk or ambrette
(Abelmoschus moschatus Medik.;
syn. Hibiscus abelmoschus).
Indigenous to
India
and cultivated (or weedy) in most warm regions of the globe, it is a low,
slightly woody plant with a conical five-ridged pod containing
numerous
brown kidney-shaped seeds that are smaller than okra ( akar kapasan)’s. The
seeds
possess
a musky odor and perfumers know them as ambrette (“abelmoschus” is from the
Arabic “father of musk”, with “moschatus” also
referring
to a musky smell). The plant also yields an excellent fiber and, rich
in
mucilage, is employed in upper India
for clarifying sugar. One variety there known as bendi-kai is eaten fresh, prepared
like asparagus, or pickled.
The
foliage and tubers of A.m. subsp.
tuberosus have
been consumed for
centuries
in Australia.
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