Annual herbaceous shrub growing to a height from 3 feet in dwarf varieties to 7 or 8 feet in others. Leaves orbicular, 5-7 lobed, lobes ovate to oblong, obtuse or acute, base cordate, margin crenate to coarsely serrate; petiole 1-6cm; stipules linear. 0.5-1.5 cm. The flowers are hermaphrodite, solitary, axillary, pedicels 2-3 cm. Epicalyx segments 7-12, free, linear, 1-2 cm. Calyx c. 2 cm. Corolla yellow, sometimes with red base 4.5-7 cm across. Staminal tube c 2 cm, pollen-bearing throughout. The fruit is a long pod, generally ribbed, and spineless in cultivated kinds. They attain lengths of 6 to 8 inches, and up to 1 inch or more in diameter.

Fungitoxic against Helminthosporium oryzae (seed extract); inhibits growth of cancerous cells (seed); diuretic, demulcent and emollient (fruit capsule); as dietary protein sources (seed); gastroprotective.

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Alanine, arginine, aspartic acid, folacin, methionine, niacin, thiamin, tryptophan, tyrosine, valine (fruit); alpha-tocopherol (oil); ascorbic acid (plant); gossypol, linoleic acid, oleic acid (seed); quercetin (flower)

Gonorrhoea and problems with the urogenital system (mucilage of fruit); catarrh and throat problems (fruit capsule); as a poultice (leaf and fruit capsule); gonorrhea (roots and leaves);the immature capsules is demulcent, diuretic and emollient; the seeds are antispasmodic, cordial, stimulant and allay thirst, cure stomatitis, dyspepsia, urinary discharge,leucoderma and itch.

Not available

Chandel et al., Biodiversity in Medicinal and Aromatic Plants in India.