Malvaceae

The Malvaceae are a family of rather cosmopolitan dicotyledonous plants, absent only from very cold regions. Particularly abundant in tropical regions of South America. There is the cocoa tree ( Theobroma cacao ), from which chocolate is produced. Among the useful plants, we can mention the genera:

• Hibiscus, grouping the bissap or sorrel of Guinea (Roseille pays, karkadé, foléré, karkandji, etc.) ( Hibiscus sabdariffa ) which grows in tropical zones, especially in Guinea where it originates. Its leaves are like mashed or stewed vegetables. You can add peanut butter or mashed eggplant to reduce the acidity of the sauce or mashed potatoes and this goes perfectly with grilled fish or poultry for which it enhances the taste. A red juice is obtained from the dried flowers. It is the national drink of many African countries;
• Abelmoschus , with Kanak cabbage or Aibika ( Abelmoschus manihot ) (Syn. Hibiscus manihot ) species native to southern China, Nepal and India have the young leaves, shoots, and flower buds, soft and mucilaginous, are edible. This plant is also cultivated for its ornamental qualities. In this genus we also find okra ( Abelmoschus esculentus ) (also called lalo, calou, okra) is a species of tropical flowering plant from Africa. Its fruit contains a substance useful for thickening soups and stews. It is also used in sauces with white meat or chicken. Ripe, roasted seeds can be used as coffee. It is often used as a sauce over white rice. The young leaves can be eaten like spinach; they are sometimes fed to livestock as fodder.