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''Sterculia apetala'', the Panama tree, is a species of flowering plant in the 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 Theobroma cacao, cacao, Cola (plant), cola, cotton, okra, Hibiscus sabdariffa, ...
. It is found in Florida, southern Mexico, Central America, and northern South America, and has been introduced to the Caribbean islands. ''Sterculia apetala'' is recognized as the
national tree This is a list of countries that have officially designated one or more trees as their national trees. Most species in the list are officially designated. Some species hold only an "unofficial" status. Additionally, the list includes trees that we ...
of the Republic of Panama.


Description

''Sterculia apetala'' is
perennial In horticulture, the term perennial ('' per-'' + '' -ennial'', "through the year") is used to differentiate a plant from shorter-lived annuals and biennials. It has thus been defined as a plant that lives more than 2 years. The term is also ...
and
deciduous In the fields of horticulture and botany, the term deciduous () means "falling off at maturity" and "tending to fall off", in reference to trees and shrubs that seasonally shed Leaf, leaves, usually in the autumn; to the shedding of petals, aft ...
. Trunks are straight, cylindrical, and have large
buttresses A buttress is an architectural structure built against or projecting from a wall which serves to support or reinforce the wall. Buttresses are fairly common on more ancient (typically Gothic) buildings, as a means of providing support to act a ...
at the base. Height ranges from . Leaves are alternate, palmate with five lobes, and cluster densely at the end of branches. Including the petiole, leaf length ranges from . Flowers are purple and yellow, and have five
sepal A sepal () is a part of the flower of angiosperms (flowering plants). Usually green, sepals typically function as protection for the flower in bud, and often as support for the petals when in bloom., p. 106 Etymology The term ''sepalum'' ...
s. ''S. apetala'' flowers have no petals; structures that resemble them are in fact sepals. Flower diameter ranges between . These flowers are unisexual, meaning there are distinct male and female individuals used for reproduction. Fruit are compounds of up to five follicles, stemming from peduncles that can reach as long as . Inside the follicles are
seed In botany, a seed is a plant structure containing an embryo and stored nutrients in a protective coat called a ''testa''. More generally, the term "seed" means anything that can be Sowing, sown, which may include seed and husk or tuber. Seeds ...
s, as well as orange urticating hairs that may cause pain when touched. Naturally, the tree typically flowers and bears fruit between December and March. Seeds are black ellipsoids, typically with the dimensions . These seeds contain sterculic acid and malvalic acid, two types of cyclopropene fatty acids. Antioxidant compounds can be obtained from the seeds via continuous or batch extractions using water or ethanol as solvents.


Taxonomy and nomenclature

Spanish names for the species include camoruco, manduvi or anacagüita, ''Sterculia apetala'' belongs to the genus '' Sterculia'', classified 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 Theobroma cacao, cacao, Cola (plant), cola, cotton, okra, Hibiscus sabdariffa, ...
. It is one of 150 known species of ''Sterculia''. The generic name ''Sterculia'' is derived from the Latin word , which translates to "excrement". This is because of the strong odor characteristic of flowers and leaves within this genus. Its specific epithet refers to its lack of petals.


Distribution

''Sterculia apetala'' is found in the tropical regions of Florida, Mexico, Central America, Trinidad and Tobago, Bolivia, northern Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Venezuela (including the Venezuelan Antilles).


Uses

Wood from ''Sterculia apetala'' is used to produce cases, crates, industrial and domestic woodware, canoes, and tool handles. The tree is often grown for shade, resulting from its large leaves. In some regions, seeds are consumed after being boiled or roasted, used to flavor chocolate, or given to animals as fodder. The flowers are used as antitussive.


Conservation

In the Pantanal wetlands of Central Brazil, the endangered
hyacinth macaw The hyacinth macaw (''Anodorhynchus hyacinthinus''), or hyacinthine macaw, is a parrot native to central and eastern South America. With a length (from the top of its head to the tip of its long pointed tail) of about one meter it is longer tha ...
(''Anodorhynchus hyacinthinus'') makes its nest almost exclusively in the natural hollows of ''S. apetala''.


Gallery

File:Árbol Panamá - Sterculia apetala - Árbol Nacional de Panamá 10.JPG, ''Sterculia apetala'' tree and leaves File:Sterculia apetala fruits - Frutas de Sterculia apetala, árbol Panamá G.JPG, ''S. apetala'' fruit File:Sterculia apetala fruit.JPG, ''S. apetala'' follicle and seeds File:Sterculia apetala 002 Anacagüita.jpg, ''S. apetala'' fruit and flowers File:Arbol Panama (Sterculia apetala) en flor.JPG, ''S. apetala'' flower cluster File:Sterculia Apetala Flowers; Ala Moana Park; Wendy Cutler.jpg, ''S. apetala'' individual flowers File:Sterculia apetala 001 Anacagüita.jpg, ''S. apetala'' old trees File:Sterculia apetala 005 Anacagüita.jpg, ''S. apetala'' trunk and bark


References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q5436961 apetala Ornamental trees Flora of Florida Flora of Southwestern Mexico Flora of Southeastern Mexico Flora of Veracruz Flora of Central America Flora of Trinidad and Tobago Flora of western South America Flora of Venezuela Flora of the Venezuelan Antilles Flora of North Brazil Flora of West-Central Brazil Plants described in 1862