Bastard okra, Yellow leafbract
Malachra alceifolia

Family: Malvaceae

What it is like

A herb or shrub. It grows 1.6 m tall. The stems and branches can be hairy. The leaves can be oval and 3-5 angled. They are 6-9 cm long by 4-9 cm wide. The flowers are yellow. The fruit have bracts and many seeds.

The leaves and flowers contain Flavonoids, steroids, triterpenes anthocyanins, leucoanthocyanins, saponins.

Where it is found

It is a tropical plant. It can grow up to 1,500 m above sea level.

Countries/locations it is found in

Aruba, Belize, Brazil, Caribbean, Central America, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, French Guiana, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Hawaii, Honduras, Jamaica, Leeward Is., Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Peru, Puerto Rico, Suriname, Trinidad-Tobago, Venezuela

How it is used for food

Edible parts

Leaves - medicine

How it is grown

Its other names

Local names

Synonyms

Urena capitata var. alceifolia (Jacq.) M. Gomez; and others