What is "corchorus"

Corchorus \Cor"cho*rus\ (k[^o]r"k[-o]*r[u^]s), n. [Nl., fr. L. corchorus a poor kind of pulse, Gr. ko`rchoros a wild plant of bitter taste.] (Bot.) The common name of the Kerria Japonica or Japan globeflower, a yellow-flowered, perennial, rosaceous plant, seen in old-fashioned gardens.

n. (context botany English) Any of the genus (taxlink Corchorus genus) of malvaceous flowering plants.

1. n. any of various plants of the genus Corchorus having large leaves and cymose clusters of yellow flowers; a source of jute

2. widely distributed genus of tropical herbs or subshrubs; especially Asia [syn: genus Corchorus]

Corchorus is a genus of about 40–100 species of flowering plants in the family Malvaceae, native to tropical and subtropical regions throughout the world.

Different common names are used in different contexts, with jute applying to the fiber produced from the plant, and mallow-leaves for the leaves used as a vegetable.