aibika, Pacific cabbage, hibiscus manihot

Description:

This relative of the Hibiscus is not in bloom in this spotting (but an image link showing the flower appears in the notes). Aibika is also a relative of the vegetable okra, and like it, it is edible, and "mucilaginous" (slimy) if not cooked properly. Besides being a vegetable, aibika has a long history as a medicinal plant with notable anti-inflammatory, anti-viral, anti-bacterial, and anti-fungal pharmacological properties as well as promotion of healing activity in wounds. Abelmoschus manihot is native to tropical Asia and is naturalized in the tropics and at least one authority states "The centre of origin of the plant is Sulawesi-New Guinea, extending across Melanesia some time before European contact (Preston 1991:26)."

Habitat:

Planted in a semi-urban vegetable garden in an under-developed part of Biak Town, Biak Island. This is in the equatorial tropics.

Notes:

An aibika bloom http://practicalplants.org/wiki/File:Abe...