Diagnostic characters and economic importance of Malvaceae family's in hind
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Answer:
Characters of Malvaceae:
Stellate hairs on the young parts, mucilaginous juice present, leaves alternate, stipulate, multicostate reticulate; inflorescence solitary or cyme; flower actinomorphic, hermaphrodite, hypogynous, pentamerous, with epicalyx, calyx free or united, corolla free; stamens indefinite, monadelphous; anthers monothecous, stamens united to form a tube; gynoecium many often
Economic importance
Cotton: most important product, manufactured from dense mass of fibres attached to the seeds of several species of Gossypium.
Bags, ropes, cords, etc are made from the bast fibres obtained from Abutilon asiaticum, Hibiscus falcatus, etc.
Edible oil is prepared from the seeds of cotton. It is used for manufacture of soap, lubricants, etc. the oil cake is used as excellent cattle feed.
Vegetables: the fruit of lady’s finger (Hibiscus esculentus– Bhindi) and the leaves of Hibiscus cannabinus are used as vegetable.
Ornamentals: has ornamental value like Hibiscus rosa- sinensis (China rose or shoe flower), H. mutabilis (cotton rose), etc.
Medicinal value: Gossypol obtained fom cotton seed and oil is used as natural male antifertilty chemical. Roots and barks of Urena rapanda are used to cure hydrophobia, roots of Althaea are used in the treatment of dysentery.