Sterculia

''Sterculia'' is a genus of 182 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'' may be monoecious or dioecious, and its flowers unisexual or bisexual.

Taxonomy

Phylogeny

A 27-million-year-old †''Sterculia labrusca'' leaf fossil is described from the Evros region in Western Thrace, Greece.

Species

Plants of the World Online includes the following accepted species:

# '' Sterculia abbreviata'' E.L.Taylor ex Mondragón
# '' Sterculia aberrans'' Tardieu
# '' Sterculia acuminatissima'' Merr.
# '' Sterculia aerisperma'' Cuatrec.
#'' Sterculia africana'' ( Lour.) Fiori – Mopopaja tree
# '' Sterculia albidiflora'' Ducke
#'' Sterculia alexandri'' Harv. – Cape sterculia
# '' Sterculia allenii'' E.L.Taylor ex Al.Rodr. & D.Santam.
# '' Sterculia amazonica'' E.L.Taylor ex Mondragón
# '' Sterculia ampla'' Baker f.
# '' Sterculia apeibophylla'' Ducke
#'' Sterculia apetala'' ( Jacq.) H.Karst. – Panama tree; manduvi tree
# '' Sterculia appendiculata'' K.Schum.
# '' Sterculia backeri'' Tantra
# '' Sterculia balanghas'' L.
# '' Sterculia bammleri'' K.Schum.
# '' Sterculia blumei'' G.Don
# '' Sterculia bolavenensis'' Tagane & Soulad.
# '' Sterculia bracteata'' Gagnep.
# '' Sterculia brevissima'' H.H.Hsue ex Y.Tang, M.G.Gilbert & Dorr
# '' Sterculia campaniflora'' Ridl.
# '' Sterculia caribaea'' R.Br.
# '' Sterculia carrii'' Tantra
# '' Sterculia ceramica'' R.Br.
# '' Sterculia chapelieri'' Baill.
# '' Sterculia cheekii'' Dorr
# '' Sterculia chlamydothyrsa'' Mildbr.
# '' Sterculia chrysodasys'' Miq.
# '' Sterculia cinerea'' A.Rich.
#'' Sterculia cochinchinensis'' Pierre ''Trôm nam'' in Vietnam
# '' Sterculia cognata'' Prain
# '' Sterculia colombiana'' Sprague
# '' Sterculia comorensis'' Baill.
# '' Sterculia comosa'' Wall.
# '' Sterculia conwentzii'' K.Schum.
# '' Sterculia cordata'' Blume
# '' Sterculia corrugata'' Little
# '' Sterculia costaricana'' Pittier
# '' Sterculia crassinervia'' Miq.
# '' Sterculia cuneifolia'' Miq.
# '' Sterculia curiosa'' (Vell.) Taroda
# '' Sterculia cuspidata'' R.Br.
# '' Sterculia dactylocarpa'' Warb.
# '' Sterculia darbyshirei'' Tantra
# '' Sterculia dasyphylla'' A.C.Sm.
# '' Sterculia dawei'' Sprague
# '' Sterculia duckei'' E.L.Taylor ex J.A.C.Silva & M.F.Silva
# '' Sterculia edelfeltii'' F.Muell.
# '' Sterculia ellipticifolia'' Fosberg
# '' Sterculia elmeri'' Merr.
# '' Sterculia euosma'' W.W.Sm.
# '' Sterculia excelsa'' Mart.
# '' Sterculia fanaiho'' Setch.
#'' Sterculia foetida'' L. – bastard poon tree, hazel sterculia, wild almond tree
# '' Sterculia forsteri'' Seem.
# '' Sterculia frondosa'' Rich.
# '' Sterculia gengmaensis'' H.H.Hsue ex Y.Tang, M.G.Gilbert & Dorr
# '' Sterculia gilva'' Miq.
# '' Sterculia glauca'' A.H.Gentry
# '' Sterculia gracilipes'' Pierre
# '' Sterculia grandifolia'' R.Br.
# '' Sterculia guangxiensis'' S.J.Xu & P.T.Li
# '' Sterculia guapayensis'' Cuatrec.
# '' Sterculia guianensis'' Sandwith
# '' Sterculia guttata'' Roxb.
# '' Sterculia hainanensis'' Merr. & Chun
# '' Sterculia harmandii'' Pierre
# '' Sterculia henryi'' Hemsl.
# '' Sterculia hewittii'' Ridl.
# '' Sterculia holtzei'' F.Muell.
# '' Sterculia hymenocalyx'' K.Schum.
#'' Sterculia hypochroa'' Pierre – ''Trôm quạt'' in Vietnam
# '' Sterculia hyposticta'' Miq.
# '' Sterculia impressinervis'' H.H.Hsue
# '' Sterculia insularis'' R.Br.
# '' Sterculia kayae'' P.E.Berry
# '' Sterculia khasiana'' Debb. ex Biswas
# '' Sterculia kingii'' Prain
# '' Sterculia kingtungensis'' H.H.Hsue ex Y.Tang, M.G.Gilbert & Dorr
# '' Sterculia kostermansiana'' Tantra
# '' Sterculia lancaviensis'' Ridl.
# '' Sterculia lanceifolia'' Roxb.
# '' Sterculia lanceolata'' Cav.
# '' Sterculia lastoursvillensis'' M.Bodard & Pellegr.
# '' Sterculia laxiflora'' Rusby
# '' Sterculia lepidotostellata'' Mildbr.
# '' Sterculia linguifolia'' Mast.
# '' Sterculia lissophylla'' Pierre
# '' Sterculia longifolia'' Vent.
# '' Sterculia longipetiolata'' Merr.
# '' Sterculia macrophylla'' Vent.
# '' Sterculia macrostemon'' Tantra
# '' Sterculia madagascariensis'' R.Br.
# '' Sterculia maoana'' Doweld
# '' Sterculia mastersii'' Pierre
# '' Sterculia megistophylla'' Ridl.
# '' Sterculia membranacea'' Merr.
# '' Sterculia mexicana'' R.Br.
# '' Sterculia mhosya'' Engl.
# '' Sterculia micrantha'' Chun & H.H.Hsue
# '' Sterculia mindorensis'' Tantra
#''Sterculia monosperma'' Vent. – China chestnut, seven sisters' fruit, pheng phok
# '' Sterculia monticola'' Mildbr.
# '' Sterculia morobeensis'' Tantra
#'' Sterculia murex'' Hemsl. – Lowveld chestnut
# '' Sterculia oblonga'' Mast.
# '' Sterculia oblongata'' R.Br.
# '' Sterculia ornatisepala'' E.L.Taylor ex D.Santam. & Al.Rodr.
# '' Sterculia palauensis'' Kaneh.
# '' Sterculia papuana'' Tantra
# '' Sterculia parkinsonii'' F.Muell.
# '' Sterculia parviflora'' Roxb. ex G.Don
# '' Sterculia parvifolia'' R.Br.
# '' Sterculia peekelii'' Mildbr.
# '' Sterculia pendula'' Ducke
# '' Sterculia perryae'' Kosterm.
# '' Sterculia peruviana'' (D.R.Simpson) E.L.Taylor ex Brako & Zarucchi
# '' Sterculia petenensis'' E.L.Taylor ex D.Santam. & Al.Rodr.
# '' Sterculia pexa'' Pierre
# '' Sterculia pinbienensis'' H.T.Tsai & P.I.Mao
# '' Sterculia pojoira'' Cuatrec.
# '' Sterculia ponapensis'' Kaneh.
# '' Sterculia principis'' Gagnep.
# '' Sterculia pruriens'' (Aubl.) K.Schum.
# '' Sterculia pseudopeltata'' Mildbr.
#'' Sterculia quadrifida'' – Gorarbar
#'' Sterculia quinqueloba'' (Garcke) K.Schum. – Five-lobed sterculia
# '' Sterculia radicans'' Gagnep.
# '' Sterculia recordiana'' Standl.
#'' Sterculia rhinopetala'' K.Schum. – Red sterculia
# '' Sterculia rhoidifolia'' Stapf ex Ridl.
# '' Sterculia rhynchocarpa'' K.Schum.
# '' Sterculia rhynchophylla'' K.Schum.
# '' Sterculia rigidifolia'' Ducke
# '' Sterculia ripicola'' Mildbr.
#'' Sterculia rogersii'' N.E. Br. – Ulumbu tree
#'' Sterculia rubiginosa'' Vent – ''Bai rua long'' in Vietnam
# '' Sterculia rugosa'' R.Br.
# '' Sterculia sangirensis'' Warb.
# '' Sterculia scandens'' Hemsl.
# '' Sterculia schlechteri'' Mildbr.
# '' Sterculia schliebenii'' Mildbr.
# '' Sterculia scortechinii'' King
# '' Sterculia setigera'' Delile
# '' Sterculia shillinglawii'' F.Muell.
# '' Sterculia simaoensis'' Y.Y.Qian
# '' Sterculia spangleri'' R.Br.
# '' Sterculia spatulata'' Warb.
# '' Sterculia speciosa'' K.Schum.
# '' Sterculia stapfiana'' K.Schum.
# '' Sterculia stenocarpa'' H.J.P.Winkl.
# '' Sterculia steyermarkii'' E.L.Taylor ex Mondragón
# '' Sterculia stigmarota'' Pierre
# '' Sterculia stipulata'' Korth.
# '' Sterculia stipulifera'' Ducke
# '' Sterculia striata'' A.St.-Hil. & Naudin
# '' Sterculia striatiflora'' Mast.
# '' Sterculia subnobilis'' H.H.Hsue
# '' Sterculia subpeltata'' Blume
# '' Sterculia subracemosa'' Chun & H.H.Hsue
# '' Sterculia subviolacea'' K.Schum.
#'' Sterculia tannaensis'' Guillaumin
#'' Sterculia tantraensis'' Morat
#'' Sterculia tavia'' Baill.
#'' Sterculia tessmannii'' Mildbr.
#'' Sterculia tonkinensis'' Aug. DC.
#'' Sterculia tantraensis''
#'' Sterculia thorelii'' Pierre – (''Bay thua Thorel'' in Vietnam: ''S. urens'' var. ''thorelii'' was thought to be a synonym)
#'' Sterculia tragacantha'' Lindl.
#'' Sterculia tragacanthoides'' Engl.
#'' Sterculia urceolata'' Sm.
#'' Sterculia urens'' Roxb. – Gulu (synonym of '' Firmiana simplex'')
#'' Sterculia urophylla'' Merr.
#'' Sterculia venezuelensis'' Pittier
#'' Sterculia versicolor'' Wall.
#'' Sterculia villifera'' Steud. – Broad-leaved bottle tree
#'' Sterculia villosa'' Roxb.
#'' Sterculia vitiensis'' Seem.
#'' Sterculia xolocotzii'' T. Wendt & E.L. Taylor
#'' Sterculia yatesii'' Merr.
#'' Sterculia yuanjiangensis'' H.H. Hsue & X.J.Xu
#'' Sterculia zeylanica'' Kosterm.

Deprecated

Etymology

The scientific name is taken from Sterculius of Roman mythology, who was the god of manure; this is in reference to the unpleasant aroma of the flowers of this genus (''e.g. Sterculia foetida'').

Ecology

''Sterculia'' species are food plants for the larvae of some Lepidoptera species including the leaf miner '' 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 fatty acids which could be carcinogenic 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 is extracted from ''Sterculia'' species, and is used as a thickener and emulsifier in foods, as a laxative, and as a denture adhesive. In India, this is sourced from: Gujarat, Maharashtra, Madras, Madhya Pradesh and Chhota Nagpur.

References

External links

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FAO: Species with edible "nuts" listed by families angiosperms (under Sterculiaceae)

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Malvaceae genera
Taxa named by Carl Linnaeus