Sterculia Chapelieri

''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'' 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

The Plant List counts 91 currently accepted species. The accepted species are listed here, except as noted.
*''Sterculia abbreviata'' E.L.Taylor ex Mondragón
*''Sterculia aerisperma'' Cuatrec.
*'' Sterculia africana'' ( Lour.) Fiori – Mopopaja tree
*'' Sterculia albidiflora'' Ducke
*'' Sterculia alexandri'' Harv. – Cape sterculia
*'' Sterculia amazonica'' E.L.Taylor ex Mondragón
*'' Sterculia antioquia'' E.L.Taylor
*'' Sterculia apeibophylla'' Ducke
*'' Sterculia alexandri'' (Jacq.) H.Karst.
*'' Sterculia apetala'' (Jacq.) H.Karst. – Panama tree; manduvi tree
*''Sterculia appendiculata'' K.Schum.
*'' Sterculia balanghas'' L. or Aiton (status unresolved)
*'' Sterculia brevissima'' H.H. Hsue
*'' Sterculia caribaea'' R. Br.
*'' Sterculia ceramica'' R. Br.
*'' Sterculia chapelieri'' Baill.
*''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'' L. – bastard poon tree, hazel sterculia, wild almond tree
*''Sterculia frondosa'' Rich.
*''Sterculia gengmaensis'' H.H. Hsue
*''Sterculia gilva'' Miq.
*'' 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.
*''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'' 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'' Roxb.
*''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.) K.Schum.
*''Sterculia purpurea'' E.L. Taylor
*''Sterculia quadrifida'' – Gorarbar (status unresolved)
*''Sterculia quinqueloba'' (Garcke) K.Schum. – Five-lobed sterculia
*'' Sterculia rebeccae'' E.L. Taylor
*'' Sterculia recordiana'' Standl.
*'' Sterculia rhinopetala'' K.Schum. – 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'' Delile
*''Sterculia simaoensis'' Y.Y. Qian
*''Sterculia speciosa'' K.Schum.
*''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'' K.Schum.
*''Sterculia tavia'' Baill.
*'' Sterculia tessmannii'' Mildbr.
*'' Sterculia tonkinensis'' Aug. DC.
*'' Sterculia tantraensis''
*''Sterculia tragacantha'' Lindl.
*''Sterculia urens'' – Gulu (synonym of ''Firmiana simplex'')
**''S. urens'' var. ''thorelii'' is a synonym of ''S. thorelii'' Pierre – (''Bay thua Thorel'' in Vietnam)
*''Sterculia venezuelensis'' Pittier
*''Sterculia villifera'' Steud. – Broad-leaved bottle tree
*'' Sterculia villosa'' Roxb.
*''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, 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

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

{{Taxonbar, from=Q1478297

Malvaceae genera