Okra (Abelmoschus esculentus)

Okra (Abelmoschus esculentus) Flower

Okra plant, with mature, and developing fruits in Hong Kong

Okra or Abelmoschus esculentus Moench, known in many English-speaking countries as ladies' fingers, bhindi, bamia, ochro or gumbo, is a flowering plant in the mallow family. It is valued for its edible green seed pods. The geographical origin of okra is disputed, with supporters of West African, Ethiopian, and South Asian origins. The plant is cultivated in tropical, subtropical and warm temperate regions around the world.

The name okra is most often used in the United States and Philippines, with a variant pronunciation in Caribbean English of okro. The word okra is West African in origin, probably from Igbo ọ́kụ̀rụ̀. The plant and its seed pods are also often known as "lady's fingers". In various Bantu languages, okra is called (ki)ngombo or a variant, and this is possibly the origin of the name "gumbo", used in parts of the United States and English-speaking Caribbean In much of South Asia, it is called by some variant of bhindi, which often occurs in the United Kingdom; however, English-speakers in Bengal call it dherosh.(http://en.wikipedia.org )

The Scientific classification of Okra:

Kingdom:     Plantae

(unranked):     Angiosperms

(unranked):     Eudicots

(unranked):     Rosids

Order:     Malvales

Family:     Malvaceae

Genus:     Abelmoschus

Species:     A. esculentus

Binomial name: Abelmoschus esculentus (L.) Moench

More info:

The Scientific classification of Okra
Okra (Abelmoschus Esculentus) Pictures Gallery