manioc-hibiscus

Abelmoschus manihot (L.) Medik., known as manioc-hibiscus, is a member of the Malvaceae family. It is a tropical subshrub or shrub that is native to regions including Asia, New Guinea, and Queensland. This species is cultivated and used as a leaf vegetable. It has a wide distribution, found in areas such as India, Australia, Timor-Leste, the Galápagos Islands, Brazil, Ecuador, Japan, Laos, the contiguous 48 United States, Assam, Bangladesh, the Bismarck Archipelago, Cameroon, the Central African Republic, China (North-Central, South-Central, and Southeast), Christmas Island, and the Cook Islands. The species was first described in 1787.