Scarlet Shower (Sterculia coccinea) (8679258490)

''Sterculia'' is a

genus Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms as well as viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus comes above species and below family. In binomial nom ...

flowering plant Flowering plants are plants that bear flowers and fruits, and form the clade Angiospermae (), commonly called angiosperms. The term "angiosperm" is derived from the Greek words ('container, vessel') and ('seed'), and refers to those plants th ...

s in the mallow family,

Malvaceae Malvaceae, or the mallows, is a family of flowering plants estimated to contain 244 genera with 4225 known species. Well-known members of economic importance include okra, cotton, cacao and durian. There are also some genera containing familiar ...

: subfamily Sterculioideae (previously placed in the now obsolete

Sterculiaceae Sterculiaceae was a family of flowering plant based on the genus ''Sterculia''. Genera formerly included in Sterculiaceae are now placed in the family Malvaceae, in the subfamilies: Byttnerioideae, Dombeyoideae, Helicteroideae and Sterculioideae. A ...

). Members of the genus are colloquially known as tropical chestnuts. ''Sterculia'' may be monoecious or dioecious, and its flowers unisexual or bisexual.

Taxonomy

Phylogeny

A 27-million-year-old †''Sterculia labrusca'' leaf

fossil A fossil (from Classical Latin , ) is any preserved remains, impression, or trace of any once-living thing from a past geological age. Examples include bones, shells, exoskeletons, stone imprints of animals or microbes, objects preserved ...

is described from the Evros region in

Western Thrace Western Thrace or West Thrace ( el, �υτικήΘράκη, '' ytikíThráki'' ; tr, Batı Trakya; bg, Западна/Беломорска Тракия, ''Zapadna/Belomorska Trakiya''), also known as Greek Thrace, is a geographic and histori ...

Greece Greece,, or , romanized: ', officially the Hellenic Republic, is a country in Southeast Europe. It is situated on the southern tip of the Balkans, and is located at the crossroads of Europe, Asia, and Africa. Greece shares land borders ...

Species

The Plant List counts 91 currently accepted species. The accepted species are listed here, except as noted. *''

Sterculia abbreviata ''Sterculia'' is a genus of flowering plants in the mallow family, Malvaceae: subfamily Sterculioideae (previously placed in the now obsolete Sterculiaceae). Members of the genus are colloquially known as tropical chestnuts. ''Sterculia'' ma ...

'' E.L.Taylor ex Mondragón *''

Sterculia aerisperma ''Sterculia'' is a genus of flowering plants in the mallow family, Malvaceae: subfamily Sterculioideae (previously placed in the now obsolete Sterculiaceae). Members of the genus are colloquially known as tropical chestnuts. ''Sterculia'' ma ...

'' Cuatrec. *''

Sterculia africana ''Sterculia africana'' or African star-chestnut is a deciduous tree, belonging to the genus ''Sterculia'' and the family Malvaceae (previously the Sterculiaceae, now relegated to a subfamily). The species is sometimes called the "mopopaja tree". ...

'' ( Lour.) Fiori – Mopopaja tree *''

Sterculia albidiflora ''Sterculia'' is a genus of flowering plants in the mallow family, Malvaceae: subfamily Sterculioideae (previously placed in the now obsolete Sterculiaceae). Members of the genus are colloquially known as tropical chestnuts. ''Sterculia'' ma ...

'' Ducke *''

Sterculia alexandri ''Sterculia alexandri'' is a species of plant in the family Malvaceae. It is endemic to South Africa, occurring in the Eastern Cape, and only found in a few localities: the Winterhoek Mountains near Uitenhage, Van Staaden's Mountains near Port ...

'' Harv. – Cape sterculia *''

Sterculia amazonica ''Sterculia'' is a genus of flowering plants in the mallow family, Malvaceae: subfamily Sterculioideae (previously placed in the now obsolete Sterculiaceae). Members of the genus are colloquially known as tropical chestnuts. ''Sterculia'' ma ...

'' E.L.Taylor ex Mondragón *''

Sterculia antioquia ''Sterculia'' is a genus of flowering plants in the mallow family, Malvaceae: subfamily Sterculioideae (previously placed in the now obsolete Sterculiaceae). Members of the genus are colloquially known as tropical chestnuts. ''Sterculia'' ma ...

'' E.L.Taylor *''

Sterculia apeibophylla ''Sterculia'' is a genus of flowering plants in the mallow family, Malvaceae: subfamily Sterculioideae (previously placed in the now obsolete Sterculiaceae). Members of the genus are colloquially known as tropical chestnuts. ''Sterculia'' ma ...

'' Ducke *''

'' ( Jacq.) H.Karst. *''

Sterculia apetala ''Sterculia apetala'', commonly known as the Panama tree, camoruco, manduvi tree or anacagüita, is a species of flowering plants in the family Malvaceae. It is found in Central and South America, as well as the Caribbean islands. ''Sterculia ape ...

'' ( Jacq.) H.Karst. – Panama tree; manduvi tree *''

Sterculia appendiculata ''Sterculia'' is a genus of flowering plants in the mallow family, Malvaceae: subfamily Sterculioideae (previously placed in the now obsolete Sterculiaceae). Members of the genus are colloquially known as tropical chestnuts. ''Sterculia'' ma ...

K.Schum. Karl Moritz Schumann (17 June 1851 – 22 March 1904) was a German botanist. Schumann was born in Görlitz. He was curator of the Botanisches Museum in Berlin-Dahlem from 1880 until 1894. He also served as the first chairman of the ''Deut ...

*'' Sterculia balanghas'' L. or Aiton (status unresolved) *'' Sterculia brevissima'' H.H. Hsue *'' Sterculia caribaea'' R. Br. *'' Sterculia ceramica'' R. Br. *'' Sterculia chapelieri''

Baill. Henri Ernest Baillon was a French botanist and physician. He was born in Calais on 30 November 1827 and died in Paris on 19 July 1895. Baillon spent his professional life as a professor of natural history, and he published numerous works on ...

*'' Sterculia chicomendesii'' E.L. Taylor *'' Sterculia cinerea'' Schweinf. or A.Rich. (status unresolved) *'' Sterculia cinnamomifolia'' Tsai & Mao *'' Sterculia cochinchinensis'' Pierre ''Trôm nam'' in Vietnam (status unresolved) *'' Sterculia colombiana'' Sprague *'' Sterculia colorata'' – Scarlet sterculia (synonym of '' Firmiana colorata'') *'' Sterculia comorensis'' Sprague *'' Sterculia corrugata'' Little *'' Sterculia costaricana'' Pittier *'' Sterculia curiosa'' (Vell.) Taroda *'' Sterculia dawei'' Sprague *'' Sterculia duckei'' E.L. Taylor ex J.A.C. Silva & M.F. Silva *'' Sterculia euosma'' W.W. Sm. *'' Sterculia excelsa'' Mart. *''

Sterculia foetida ''Sterculia foetida'' is a soft wooded tree that can grow up to tall.Sterculia Foe ...

'' L. – bastard poon tree, hazel sterculia, wild almond tree *'' Sterculia frondosa'' Rich. *'' Sterculia gengmaensis'' H.H. Hsue *'' Sterculia gilva''

Miq. Friedrich Anton Wilhelm Miquel (24 October 1811 – 23 January 1871) was a Dutch botanist, whose main focus of study was on the flora of the Dutch East Indies. Early life Miquel was born in Neuenhaus and studied medicine at the University of Groni ...

*'' Sterculia guangxiensis'' S.J. Xu & P.T. Li *'' Sterculia guapayensis'' Cuatrec. *'' Sterculia guianensis'' Sandwith *'' Sterculia guttata'' Roxb. ex G.Don (status unresolved) *'' Sterculia hainanensis'' Merr. and Chun *'' Sterculia henryi'' Hemsl. *'' Sterculia hymenocalyx'' K. Schum. *'' Sterculia hypochroa'' Pierre – ''Trôm quạt'' in Vietnam (status unresolved) *'' Sterculia impressinervis'' H.H. Hsue *'' Sterculia kayae'' P.E. Berry *'' Sterculia khasiana'' Debb. *'' Sterculia killipiana'' Standl. ex E.L.Taylor *'' Sterculia kingtungensis'' H.H. Hsue *'' Sterculia lanceifolia''

Roxb. William Roxburgh FRSE FRCPE FLS (3/29 June 1751 – 18 February 1815) was a Scottish surgeon and botanist who worked extensively in India, describing species and working on economic botany. He is known as the founding father of Indian botany. H ...

*'' Sterculia lanceolata'' Cav. (synonym for ''S. tonkinensis'' Aug. DC.) *'' Sterculia lisae'' E.L. Taylor *'' Sterculia macerenica'' E.L. Taylor *'' Sterculia mexicana'' R.Br. *'' Sterculia mhoysa'' Engl. *'' Sterculia micrantha'' Chun and H.H. Hsue *'' Sterculia mirabilis'' (A. Chev.) Roberty *''

Sterculia monosperma ''Sterculia monosperma'' (; th, เกาลัดไทย), also known as Chinese chestnut, Thai chestnut, seven sisters' fruit, and phoenix eye fruit, is a deciduous tropical nut-bearing tree of genus '' Sterculia''. Distribution Its ori ...

'' Vent. – China chestnut, seven sisters' fruit, pheng phok *'' Sterculia multiovula'' E.L. Taylor *'' Sterculia murex'' Hemsl. – Lowveld chestnut *'' Sterculia narioensis'' E.L. Taylor *'' Sterculia oblonga'' Mast. *'' Sterculia ornatisepala'' E.L. Taylor *'' Sterculia paniculata'' *'' Sterculia parviflora''

*'' Sterculia pendula'' Ducke *'' Sterculia peruviana'' (D.R. Simpson) E.L. Taylor ex Brako and Zarucchi *'' Sterculia petensis'' E.L. Taylor *'' Sterculia pexa'' Pierre *'' Sterculia pinbienensis'' Tsai & Mao *'' Sterculia principis'' Gagnep. *'' Sterculia pruriens'' ( Aubl.)

*'' Sterculia purpurea'' E.L. Taylor *'' Sterculia quadrifida'' – Gorarbar (status unresolved) *'' Sterculia quinqueloba'' (Garcke)

– Five-lobed sterculia *'' Sterculia rebeccae'' E.L. Taylor *'' Sterculia recordiana'' Standl. *'' Sterculia rhinopetala''

– Red sterculia *'' Sterculia rigidifolia'' Ducke *'' Sterculia rogersii'' N.E. Br. – Ulumbu tree *'' Sterculia rugosa'' R.Br. *'' Sterculia rubiginosa'' Vent – ''Bai rua long'' in Vietnam *'' Sterculia scandens'' Hemsl. *'' Sterculia schliebenii'' Mildbr. *''

Sterculia setigera ''Sterculia setigera'' is a deciduous tree species within the Malvaceae family. It commonly occurs in the Sahelo-Sudan and Guinea savannah zones of Tropical Africa. Among the Hausa people it is known as Kukkuki. It is an important tree crop in S ...

'' Delile *'' Sterculia simaoensis'' Y.Y. Qian *'' Sterculia speciosa''

*'' Sterculia steyermarkii'' E.L. Taylor ex Mondragón *'' Sterculia stigmarota'' Pierre (status unresolved) *'' Sterculia stipulifera'' Ducke *'' Sterculia striata'' A. St.-Hil. & Naudin *'' Sterculia subnobilis'' H.H. Hsue *'' Sterculia subracemosa'' Chun & H.H. Hsue *'' Sterculia subviolacea''

*'' Sterculia tavia''

*'' Sterculia tessmannii'' Mildbr. *'' Sterculia tonkinensis'' Aug. DC. *'' Sterculia tantraensis'' *''

Sterculia tragacantha ''Sterculia'' is a genus of flowering plants in the mallow family, Malvaceae: subfamily Sterculioideae (previously placed in the now obsolete Sterculiaceae). Members of the genus are colloquially known as tropical chestnuts. ''Sterculia'' ma ...

Lindl. John Lindley FRS (5 February 1799 – 1 November 1865) was an English botanist, gardener and orchidologist. Early years Born in Catton, near Norwich, England, John Lindley was one of four children of George and Mary Lindley. George Lindley ...

*'' Sterculia urens'' – Gulu (synonym of ''

Firmiana simplex ''Firmiana simplex'', commonly known as the Chinese parasol tree, Chinese parasoltree, or wutong (), is an ornamental plant of tree size assigned to the family Malvaceae that was formerly in the family Sterculiaceae in the order Malvales, and i ...

'') **''S. urens'' var. ''thorelii'' is a synonym of ''S. thorelii'' Pierre – (''Bay thua Thorel'' in Vietnam) *'' Sterculia venezuelensis'' Pittier *'' Sterculia villifera''

Steud. Ernst Gottlieb von Steudel (30 May 1783 – 12 May 1856) was a German physician and an authority on grasses. Biography Ernst Gottlieb von Steudel was born at Esslingen am Neckar in Baden-Württemberg. He was educated at the University of Tübi ...

– Broad-leaved bottle tree *''

Sterculia villosa ''Sterculia villosa'', the hairy sterculia, or elephant rope tree, known vernacularly as Sardol, Udal, or Udar in Northeast India, is a medium-sized, monoecious tree. A leaf from this plant is characterized by a petiole about 25–40 cm l ...

*'' Sterculia xolocotzii'' T. Wendt & E.L. Taylor *'' Sterculia yuanjiangensis'' H.H. Hsue & X.J.Xu

Deprecated

Etymology

The scientific name is taken from Sterculius of

Roman mythology Roman mythology is the body of myths of ancient Rome as represented in the literature and visual arts of the Romans. One of a wide variety of genres of Roman folklore, ''Roman mythology'' may also refer to the modern study of these representa ...

, who was the god of manure; this is in reference to the unpleasant aroma of the flowers of this genus (''e.g.

Sterculia foetida ''Sterculia foetida'' is a soft wooded tree that can grow up to tall.Sterculia Foe ...

'').

Ecology

''Sterculia'' species are food plants for the

larva A larva (; plural larvae ) is a distinct juvenile form many animals undergo before metamorphosis into adults. Animals with indirect development such as insects, amphibians, or cnidarians typically have a larval phase of their life cycle. ...

e of some Lepidoptera species including the

leaf miner A leaf miner is any one of numerous species of insects in which the larval stage lives in, and eats, the leaf tissue of plants. The vast majority of leaf-mining insects are moths ( Lepidoptera), sawflies ( Symphyta, the mother clade of wasp ...

'' Bucculatrix xenaula'', which feeds exclusively on this genus.

Toxicity and uses

The pods, particularly those of ''S. foetida'', contain seeds reported to be edible, with a taste similar to cocoa.. However, the oil contains

cyclopropene Cyclopropene is an organic compound with the formula . It is the simplest cycloalkene. Because the ring is highly strained, cyclopropene is difficult to prepare and highly reactive. This colorless gas has been the subject for many fundamental st ...

fatty acids In chemistry, particularly in biochemistry, a fatty acid is a carboxylic acid with an aliphatic chain, which is either saturated and unsaturated compounds#Organic chemistry, saturated or unsaturated. Most naturally occurring fatty acids have an B ...

which could be

carcinogenic A carcinogen is any substance, radionuclide, or radiation that promotes carcinogenesis (the formation of cancer). This may be due to the ability to damage the genome or to the disruption of cellular metabolic processes. Several radioactive subs ...

or co-carcinogenic.L. O. Hanus, P. Goldshlag, V. M. Dembitsky (2008). "Identification Of Cyclopropyl Fatty Acids In Walnut (Juglans Regia L.) Oil." Biomed Pap Med Fac Univ Palacky Olomouc Czech Repub. 2008, 152(1):41–45.

Gum karaya Gum karaya or gum sterculia, also known as Indian gum tragacanth, is a vegetable gum produced as an exudate by trees of the genus ''Sterculia''. Chemically, gum karaya is an acid polysaccharide composed of the sugars galactose, rhamnose and galac ...

is extracted from ''Sterculia'' species, and is used as a

thickener A thickening agent or thickener is a substance which can increase the viscosity of a liquid without substantially changing its other properties. Edible thickeners are commonly used to thicken sauces, soups, and puddings without altering their t ...

and emulsifier in foods, as a

laxative Laxatives, purgatives, or aperients are substances that loosen stools and increase bowel movements. They are used to treat and prevent constipation. Laxatives vary as to how they work and the side effects they may have. Certain stimulant, lubri ...

, and as a

denture Dentures (also known as false teeth) are prosthetic devices constructed to replace missing teeth, and are supported by the surrounding soft and hard tissues of the oral cavity. Conventional dentures are removable ( removable partial denture or ...

adhesive. In India, this is sourced from:

Gujarat Gujarat (, ) is a state along the western coast of India. Its coastline of about is the longest in the country, most of which lies on the Kathiawar peninsula. Gujarat is the fifth-largest Indian state by area, covering some ; and the ninth ...

, Maharashtra, Madras,

Madhya Pradesh Madhya Pradesh (, ; meaning 'central province') is a state in central India. Its capital is Bhopal, and the largest city is Indore, with Jabalpur, Ujjain, Gwalior, Sagar, and Rewa being the other major cities. Madhya Pradesh is the seco ...

and Chhota Nagpur.

References

External links

* *
FAO: Species with edible "nuts" listed by families angiosperms (under Sterculiaceae)
{{Taxonbar, from=Q1478297 Malvaceae genera