Sterculia excelsa
Mart.
Lofty sterculia
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(c) Gabriel Bonfa, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-ND), uploaded by Gabriel Bonfa
Description
A tree. It grows 33 m tall. The trunk is 40-60 cm across. It loses many leaves during the year. The leaves are entire but have 3 lobes on young trees. The flower arrangement is covered with downy hairs. The fruit is a many seeded dry fruit. There are 1 or 2 sections that are kidney shaped. These are 5 cm long by 3.3 cm wide and green but with a brown covering. There are 3-4 seeds in each section. The seeds are embedded in golden yellow prickly hairs.
Edible Uses
The seeds are eaten after roasting.
Traditional Uses
The seeds are eaten after roasting.
This uses section is brief — help expand it
Medicinal Uses
The inner bark is rasped and boiled, or soaked in cold water, then rubbed on the abdomen to hasten childbirth. If rubbed on the abdomen prior to the ninth month, however, the female will abort the foetus. Ashes of the bark are added to psychotomimetic snuff made from Nicotiana tabacum.
Distribution
It is a tropical plant. It grows in rainforest and near marshes and creeks. It is best in a sunny position or in light shade.
Where It Grows
Amazon, Bolivia, Brazil, Ecuador, Guiana, Guianas, Guyana, South America, Suriname, Venezuela,
Cultivation
Plants can be grown from fresh seed. Seeds sprout in 30-40 days. Scratching the seed coat can assist germination. They germinate best with a temperature between 20-30°C.
Propagation
Seed - it has a short viability and needs to be sown as soon as possible once it is ripe. Sow in individual containers in partial shade. Germination rates are usually low, with the seed sprouting within 30 - 40 days. A physical dormancy caused by the hard seed coat of the mature seeds of many species in this genus can be overcome by scarifying the seed. This is carried out by cutting away or abrading some of the seed coat to allow the ingress of water, though great care must be taken not to damage the embryo. The aril surrounding the seed should also be removed - this is easiest when it has been softened through soaking in water. The seeds germinate optimally at temperatures between 20 - 30°c. They can be sown in a nursery seedbed or in containers. A germination rate of about 95%, occurring within about 2 weeks can be expected if the seed has been properly treated.
Other Uses
The bark is fibrous. It is used for tying purposes and as head bands or straps for carrying objects. The boiled bark adds a desirable greasiness to body paint made with annatto (Bixa orellana). The wood is light, straight-grained and coarse-textured. It is a low resistance to wood eating organisms. It is used for light construction, box making, toys, coffins and pulp.
Production
It is fast growing.
Other Information
It is a cultivated plant.
Notes
Also put in the family Sterculiaceae.
Synonyms
Also Known As
Amotonkum Axixa, Baurei, Boia, Bois calou, Cacaguillo, Cacaito, Camuruco, Chicha, Hocooudou, Ibira-quiaba, Kalouda, Kobe, Kobehe, Kutsapu, Maho, Mahot cochon, Maipjoerie-ietarare, Okro-oedoe, Patoelapo, Samuna, Samuna-preta, Tacacazeiro
References (3)
- Flora 24(Beibl. 2):40. 1841
- Grandtner, M. M. & Chevrette, J., 2013, Dictionary of Trees, Volume 2: South America: Nomenclature, Taxonomy and Ecology. Academic Press p 628
- van Roosmalen, M.G.M., 1985, Fruits of the Guianan Flora. Utrecht Univ. & Wageningen Univ. p 420
