Hibiscus sabdariffa: Guinea sorrel, hibiscus, Indian sorrel, Jamaica, Jamaica sorrel, Jamaican sorrel, karkadé, red sorrel, roselle, roselle of Rama, sorrel, sour-sour

Common Names:

in English: Guinea sorrel, hibiscus, Indian sorrel, Jamaica, Jamaica sorrel, Jamaican sorrel, karkadé, red sorrel, roselle, roselle of Rama, sorrel, sour-sour

in French: oseille de Guinée, oseille rouge, roselle

in South America: azedinha, caruru azedo, quiabo azedo, quiabo d’angola, quiabo rosado, quiabo roxo, vinagreira, vinaigrilla

in India: ambasthaki, ambodi, bilee, arakkani, arakkanicceti, bhakalpure, cakkirappuliccaikkirai, cempuliccai, cempuliccaikkirai, cempuliccan, chukaba, chukar, chukiar, cimaikkacini, cimaikkacuru, cimaikkayccurai, cimaippuliccai, civappukacalkirai, civappukkacurukkirai, civappukkayccurai, civappuppuliccaikkirai, daasavaala, erragomgura, erragomguru, erragon kaaya, erragongaka, erragonguru, erragonkaya, ettagomgura, ettagongaka, ettagonguru, gogu, han-seraung, kacalkirai, kashurk-kali, kempu pundi, kempu pundike, kempu pundrike, kempupundrike, khat ambadi (khat, sour), laal-ambaari, lal ambari, lal-anbari, lalambadi, lalambari, lekhar-anthur, narayanakkirai, patwa, pitakaru, pitataru, pitatarukkirai, plachakiri, polechi, puli-cheera, puliccai, pulichai-keerai, pulikkirai, pundee beeja, pundi soppu, pundibija, pundicura, pundisoppu, putikastakkirai, putikastam, seemagogu, seemagonguru, seemai-pulichaikeera, seemegogu, seivappukaychuri, shima-gomgura, shimagonguru, shivappu-kashuruk-virai, silo-sougree, simaikkasuru, sivappukkasuru, shimai-kashuruk-kirai, shivappu-kashuruk-kirai, takdharas, tambdi-ambadi, taram, tarucakkirai, tarucam, tengamora, tevatamikakkirai, tevatamikam, tevataru, tirakalanturam, tirakalumakkirai, tirakalumam, tiralukamam, tirankalumam, vattirataru, vattiratarucceti, vilaayithi pundi, yasheel

in Indonesia: gamet walanda, kasturi roriha

in Japan: rozeri-sô

in Malaysia: asam susur

in Philippines: kubab, roselle, talingisag

in Cambodia: slök chuu

in Laos: sômz ph’oox dii

Malay name: asam susor

in Thailand: khen, krachiap, krachiap-daeng, krachiapprieo, phak king kheng, phakkengkheng, som keng, som taleng khreng(tak), som unu

in Vietnam: b[uj]p gi[aas]m, day nh[aaj]t

in Angola: kise, txise, use, utetia

in Burkina Faso: bito

in Central African Republic: kopko, zima, zima mbele

in Congo: bakoumou, dakumu

in Ethiopia: karkade

in Guinea: da, folere badi, folere boleyo, santon belli

in Madagascar: divay, voamahomhazaha

in Malawi: chidede, cidede, mphesya

in Mali: anje, anjukooro

in Nigeria: adef (the sorrel drink), amukan, barekata, isapa, isapa funfun, yakuwa, zo’barodo, zobo (the sorrel drink)

in N. Rhodesia: dikelenge, ndambala

in Senegal: basap, bisap, bissap, bondo, da kumu, dakumu, folere, folérébadi, fu gès, kaekade

in Sierra Leone: sawa-sawa, sorel (Creole); sato (Mende); ka-santhor, ka-santhong (Temne); santun-le (Sherbro); sando (Kono); sandõ (Kisi); sato (Loko, Gola, Vai); satoe (Krim); santui (Susu); santu-na, bami-na (Yalunka); follere (Fula); dagbami (Koranko); dakuma, da (Manding); busanto (Limba); santung (Tonko Limba)

in Southern Africa: ufuta, ufuta dume

in Tanzania: rozi, ufuta, ufuta dume

in Togo: anyagha

in West Africa: kapan thorr, salui, satoi, sorel, sour sour

in Zimbabwe: umGanganpunza, sosoori

Floral Description:

According to Flora of Pakistan:

An annual or perennial, simple or branched herb. Stem with sparse, simple, bulbous, spiny hairs. Blade ovate and not lobed in the lowermost part, in the upper part 3-7 partite; lobes elliptic-lanceolate, coarsely serrate, nearly glabrous on both sides; stipules 6-8 mm long, filiform; petiole 4-15 cm long, almost somewhat spiny near the top. Flowers axillary, solitary, subsessile; epicalyx segments 7-8, linear, 6-10 mm long, sparsely prickly. Calyx fused at the base, 1-2.5 cm long, wooly, also setose or prickly, lobes long acuminate-aristate, with a swollen, linear gland on the central nerve at the base. Corolla yellow with a crimson centre, 3-5 cm across; petals obovate, 4-6 cm long, 2-4 cm broad. Staminal column inserted. Capsule 1.5-2 cm long, c. 1 cm across, conical, beaked, appressed-setose. Seeds many, 2-3 mm long, brown.

Distribution: It is common in tropical and subtropical regions of the world. It is difficult to state its native home.

It is cultivated in Pakistan for fibre which is white, soft and silkys. In quality it is said to be equal to jute and may be employed for all purposes for which jute is suitable. The seeds are fed to cattle and poultry, and sometimes oil is extracted which is useful as a lubricant. Various parts are also said to be medicinally important.

According to Flora of China:

Herbs annual, erect, to 2 m tall; stems purplish, robust, glabrous. Stipules filiform, ca. 1 cm, sparsely villous; petiole 2-8 cm, sparsely villous; leaf blade dimorphic; blades on proximal part of stem ovate, those on distal part of stem palmately 3-lobed, lobes lanceolate, 2-8 × 0.5-1.5 cm, base rounded or broadly cuneate, margin serrate, apex obtuse or acuminate, glabrous; basal veins 3-5, glanduliferous along midrib on abaxial surface. Flowers solitary, axillary, subsessile. Epicalyx lobes 8-12, red, lanceolate, connate at base, 5-15 × 2-3 mm, sparsely long hirsute, with spiny appendix near apex. Calyx purplish, cup-shaped, connate for ca. 1/3 length, ca. 1 cm in diam., fleshy, sparsely spiny and coarsely hairy, lobes 5, triangular, 1-2 cm, acuminate. Corolla yellow with dark red center, 6-7 cm in diam. Capsule ovoid-globose, ca. 1.5 cm in diam., densely coarsely hairy. Seeds reniform, glabrous

Chemical Constitutes:

3,4-Dihydroxybenzoic acid, alpha-Terpineol, Cholesterol, Citric acid, D-(+)-Galactose, Daphniphylline, Delphinidin 3-sambubioside, Ergosterol, Eugenol, Gossypetin, Hibiscetin, Hibiscetin 3-glucoside, Malic acid, Myricetin, Quercetin, Spinasterol, Trigonelline

Pharmacological Activities and Uses:

Plant diuretic, antispasmodic, anthelminthic, bactericidal, tonic, antiscorbutic; red sorrel drink a remedy for the control of high blood pressure. Leaves emollient, cooling, antiseptic, antiinflammatory, a poultice on abscesses, sand cracks of the feet, wounds and ulcers; leaf decoction diuretic and a cure for cough. Leaves and fruit calyx given to delivering mother, chewing to get relief from labor pain; leaves and fleshy calyx antiscorbutic. Flowers infusion diuretic, cooling, digestive, antipyretic, anodyne, febrifuge, mildly laxative, antioxidant, antitumour; juice of the calyx given to check vomiting; calyx antihypertensive and cardioprotective, antispasmodic, aphrodisiac, powder of the calyx on the penis. Seed oil antibacterial and antifungal. Veterinary medicine.

Other Activities include: 

Abortifacient, Abscess, Anorexia, Antiaggregant, Antibacterial, Antipyretic, Antiscorbutic, Antiseptic, Antispasmodic, Aperitif, Aphrodisiac, Aphtha, Astringent, Atherosclerosis, Biliousness, Calculus, Cancer, Carbuncle, Cardiopathy, Catarrh, Chill, Cholagogue, Circulosis, Cold, Conjunctivosis, Constipation, Convulsant, Cough, Cramp, Debility, Demulcent, Digestive, Diabetes, Diuretic, Dyspepsia, Emmenagogue, Emollient, Enterosis, Expectorant, Fever, Gastrosis, Hangover, Heart, Herpes zoster, High blood pressure, Hypotensive, Infection, Inflammation, Kidney , Intoxication, Laxative, Myorelaxant, Neuropathy, Neurosis, Ophthalmia, Pectoral, Peristaltic, Saluretic, Scurvy, Seborrhea, Sedative, Stomachic, Strangury, Swelling, Tonic, Tuberculosis, Uterorelaxant, Vermicide

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