velvetleaf

Velvetleaf grows 3–8 feet tall on branched, stout stems covered in downy hairs. The annual plant grows during the warmer seasons, germinating in the spring and flowering in the summer. Velvetleaf's leaves are large and heart-shaped with pointed tips at their ends, which grow alternately at different points along the length of the stem. The leaves are attached to thick, long stems, and when crushed, release an odor. The plant's flowers are yellow and grow up to an inch in diameter, with five petals attached at the base. Flowers grow on stalks and can either be found in clusters or individually where the stalk meets the leaf stem. Pod-like capsules produced by the plant consist of 12-15 wood segments that form cup-like rings. Through the maturation of the seeds, the segments remain joined, and upon maturation, the mature seeds are released through vertical slits on the outside of the capsule.

During reproduction, the plant generates a number of seeds ranging between 700 and 44,200 units per plant. The seeds take 17–22 days to mature once pollinated. Seeds can last for about 50 years when stored in a dry location or in the soil. In order to disperse the seeds for reproduction, each carpel in the plant is opened with a vertical slit along the outer edge. For successful germination of the seeds, the temperature must range between 24 and 30 °C. Velvet plants are able to grow in various types of soil, from gray-brown podzols and sandy to clay loams with an ideal soil pH range between 6.1 and 7.8, depending on location.

Velvetleaf has been grown in China since around 2000 BCE for its strong, jute-like bast fibre. The plant is known as maabulha in the Maldives and its leaves were part of the traditional Maldivian cuisine, usually finely chopped and mixed with Maldives fish and grated coconut in a dish known as mas huni. The seeds are eaten in China and Kashmir. The plant is also used to make ropes, coarse cloth, nets, paper, and caulk for boats, and is still cultivated in China to this day. Velvetleaf is used in Chinese traditional medicine as a treatment for dysentery and to treat eye injuries, including opacity of the cornea. The leaves of the velvet leaf contain 0.01% of rutin and are used for a soothing, lubricant treatment that softens irritated tissues. When the leaves are softened, they can be used as a remedy for ulcers. The bark of velvetleaf can reduce the flow of bodily fluids such as blood, secretions, and mucus, and promote the flow of urine.