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[[File:India - Koyambedu Market - Ladies Finger 03 Abelmoschus esculentus (39862421351).jpg|200px|thumb|right|''bhendaBhenda'', ''Abelmoschus esculentus'']]Okra '''Abelmoschus esculentus''' is an annual plant growing about 1.5 metres tall. The plant is widely cultivated in warm temperate to tropical areas for its edible seedpods. It has various other edible and medicinal uses as well as being the source of a good fibre.

{{Uses|Digestive problems}}, {{Uses|Syphilis}}, {{Uses|Cuts}}, {{Uses|Wounds}}, {{Uses|Boils}}, {{Uses|Dysuria}}, {{Uses|Skin problems}}, {{Uses|Ardor urinae}}, {{Uses|Gonorrhoea}}, {{Uses|Dandruff}}., {{Uses|Constipation}}, {{Uses|Lower sperm count}}<ref name="Uses"/>

{{Parts Used|SeedsRoot}}, {{Parts Used|FruitsFruit}}, {{Parts Used|Seed}}<ref name="Karnataka Medicinal Plants"/>.

The ripe fruits contain quercetin, hyperin Hyperin (hyperoside), hydrolysate Hydrolysate of precipitated mucilage, proanthocyanidinsProanthocyanidins, D-glucose, D-glucuronic and galacturonic Galacturonic acids. Fresh flowers contain flavonol glycosides and anthocyanins. <ref name="Chemical composition"/>

{{Common names|sa=bhendaBbhenda, darvika, gandhamula, pitali, tindisha, asrapatraka, bhinda, bhindatika, kasturilatika, kshatrasambhava, pichhila, sushakaDarvika|en=Okra ladies finger|gu=Finger|hi=bhendiBhendi, bhindiBhindi|kn=bende kaayi|ks=Bendekaayi, |ml=venda, ventaVenda, ventak-kayaVenta|mr=bendaBenda, bhajichiBhajichi-bhendi, bhendi|pa=|ta=ventai, vendai, vendaik-kayVentai, vendaikkaiVendai|te=bendaBenda, bendakayaBendakaya}}<ref name="Common names"/>

{{Leaf|Simple|Alternate|Palmately lobed, transversely orbicular, about 4-13 x 5-16 cm across, base cordate, 5-7 nerved, lobes about 3-7, ovate-oblong, ovate-triangular, with about 2-3 lobules, margins crenate-dentate, rarely entire, adpressed pubescent with stiff simple hairs both above and beneath, becoming glabrescent later, coriaceous, petiole usually longer than the leaf lamina, about 12-15 cm long, stipules filiform, sparsely hirsute, about 6-10 x 2-3 mm across. Inflorescence axillary or terminal, solitary}}<ref name="Leaf"/>

{{Flower|Bisexual|Axillary|Yellow|Many|pedicel Pedicel slender, inarticulate, about 0.5-2 cm long, epicalyx 9-12, free, base rarely connate, segments about 1 cm long, calyx 5 lobed, base connate, valvate, membranous, stellate pubescent, about 1-2.5 x 1 cm across, corolla large, 5, yellow with dark purple or pink near the centre, obovate, densely studded with bristles, about 2|Flowering season is June-3.5 x 1-1.5 cm across. Stamens indefinite, monadelphous, forming an epipetalous staminal tube united with corolla, filament short, introrse, anthers basifixed, throughout. Ovary superior, 5 locular, ovules many, style 1, stigma discoid. August}}

{{Fruit|Capsule|||ovoidOvoid-cylindric, apex beaked, dehiscent with longitudinal slits towards the base, densely hispid with simple hairs|Seed many, reniform or globose, about 3|Fruiting season is June-5 mm across, villous or glabrous, black or dark brown.|August}}

Seed - sow early spring in a warm greenhouse. The seed germinates in 27 days at 15°c or 6 days at 35°c.<ref name="How to plant/cultivate"/> ==Season to grow==The three main planting seasons for Okra are February-March, June-July and October-November.<ref name="Season to grow"/> ==Required Ecosystem/Climate==Adjustment of climatic factors helps in taking at least one (summer) crop in hills, two or even three (summer, kharif and late kharif) crops in the east, west and north Indian plains and almost year-round cultivation under moderate climate in south India.<ref name="Required Ecosystem/Climate"/> ==Kind of soil needed==Okra requires a long, warm and humid growing period.

<ref name="Chemical composition">[http://gbpihedenvis.nic.in/PDFs/Glossary_Medicinal_Plants_Springer.pdf"Chemistry"Chemical composition]</ref><ref name="Uses">[<ref name="chemical composition">["chemistry"]<https://www.ayurtimes.com/abelmoschus-hibiscus-esculentus-okra-bhindi-ladies-fingers-benefits/ref>"Uses"]</ref><ref name="Leaf">[https://indiabiodiversity.org/species/show/228568"morphology"Morphology]</ref><ref name="Common names">[http://envis.frlht.org/index.php/bot_search"Common names]</ref><ref name="How to plant/cultivate">[https://pfaf.org/user/plant.aspx?latinname=Abelmoschus+esculentus Cultivation]</ref><ref name="Required Ecosystem/Climate">[http://www.geacindia.gov.in/resource-documents/biosafety-regulations/resource-documents/Biology_of_Okra.pdf Required Ecosystem/Climate]</ref><ref name="Season to grow">[http://agropedia.iitk.ac.in/content/cultivation-okra-abelmoschus-esculentus Season to grow]</ref><ref name="Photo Gallery">Wikimedia commons</ref>

<ref name="How to plant/cultivateKarnataka Medicinal Plants">[https://pfaf”Karnataka Medicinal Plants Volume-3” by Dr.M. R. Gurudeva, Page No.org920, Published by Divyachandra Prakashana, #6/user/plant.aspx?latinname=Abelmoschus+esculentus"Cultivation"]7, Kaalika Soudha, Balepete cross, Bengaluru</ref>

* [ http://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:558006-1 Abelmoschus esculentus on science.kew.org]* [ ]* [ ]