Trees & Plants

Country mallow

Maabbelhau

Abutilon indicum (L.) Sweet

Fairly common in open areas Infusion of leaves and roots are prescribed as a diuretic and demulcent in fevers, chest infections, gonorrhea, toothache and urethritis. Flowers and leaves are used for local application to treat boils and ulcers. Seeds are a laxative and expectorant.

Details

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uses: Infusion of leaves and roots are prescribed as a diuretic and demulcent in fevers, chest infections, gonorrhea, toothache and urethritis. Flowers and leaves are used for local application to treat boils and ulcers. Seeds are a laxative and expectorant.
family: Malvaceae
synonym: Sida indica L.
description: Shrubs; stem densely clothed with minutely short, stellate-pubescent and × simple hairs. Leaves 3-8 4-7 cm, ovate- orbicular, base cordate, margins crenate- dentate, apex acute or acuminate, 5-7-nerved from base, velvety, glaucous beneath with dense stellate indumentum; petioles 2-6 cm long. Flowers axillary, solitary; pedicels 4-5 cm long, jointed very near the top. Calyx lobes 5, ca. 4 mm long, ovate. Corolla 2-2.5 cm across, orange-yellow. Staminal column ca. 6 mm long. Ovary ca. 4 mm across, for densely pubescent with silvery white hairs; style 15-20, to 1 cm long; stigma capitate. × Schizocarp to 1.2 2 cm, globular; mericarps × 15-20, to 12 9 mm, reniform, flattened, densely stellate-hairy, upper part rounded, mucronate, blackish when mature. Seeds to 3 mm long, ovoid or reniform, warty, black.
native range: The tropics and subtropics
distribution: Widespread in the tropics and subtropics
english names: Country mallow · Indian mallow
flowering fruiting: September - April
occurrence maldives: Fairly common in open areas