JAMAICAN SORREL, roselle (var. sabdariffa) is a bushlike annual up to two metres high which is extensively cultivated in tropical countries for the dark-red calyces surrounding the fruit.
The calyces is the basis of the red non-alcoholic drink that is so popular here and in many other countries. The leaves and seeds can be used as feeds, but they are not very palatable owing to their acid taste. There are however, several other varieties of sorrel all over the world, so when some people say sorrel, they may not be referring to Jamaican sorrel. We found information on for instance:
Greenstem kenaf (var. altissima) a rigorous high-yielding annual 3-5 m tall and practically unbranched. Cultivated for its fibres which are similar to those of jute and can be used for paper pulping. The leaves and tops accumulate as by-products. The young leaves, rich in digestible protein, can either be fed fresh or be dried and used as a substitute for lucerne leaf meal. This variety is palatable and has been used as the sole protein feed for ruminants and as a carotene source.
The long, arrow-shaped leaves of the garden sorrel (Rumex acetosa) are eaten as a vegetable or used as a flavouring for omelettes and soups. Sorrel is used in cooking, especially in Europe and the Soviet Union.
Sheep sorrel (Rumex acetosella) is a widespread weed, introduced from Europe to the United States.
Wood sorrels are delicate shade-loving plants generally with white, yellow or purple flowers. They have clover-like leaves, divided into three parts, and tend to creep along the ground. The common wood sorrel (Oxalis montana) of the northern United States and Canada has white flowers strongly veined with pink.
