Sterculia foetida

Sterculia foetida is a soft-wooded tree that can grow up to 35 metres (115 feet) tall. Common names for the plant are the bastard poon tree, Java olive tree, hazel sterculia, wild almond tree, and skunk tree.

Description

A medium sized tree. It grows to 10-20 m high. The tree has a straight trunk and branches to form a small crown. The bark is brown and flakes off. It loses its leaves during the year. The leaves are crowded at the ends of branches. They are compound and with 7 to 9 leaflets borne in a ring at the end of the leaf stalk. Each leaflet is 10-18 cm long by 3-5 cm wide. They have a pointed tip. The leaf stalk is 15-24 cm long and grooved. The flowers are strongly scented. They are red, dull yellow or purple. They are 2-4 cm wide in clusters 15-20 cm long and shaped like a pyramid. Male and female flowers are separate. The fruit are large, woody, nearly smooth and oval. They are 7.5-10 cm long and flattened. They turn red when ripe. The ripe fruit splits open showing large black seeds. The seeds are edible.

Edible Uses

The seed kernels are eaten raw or roasted like chestnuts, and can be soaked to remove skins before roasting. The seeds can also be pressed for oil. The rootstock of young plants can be eaten raw, and the leaves are used for food.

Traditional Uses

The seed kernels are eaten raw. They can also be roasted like chestnuts. They can be soaked to remove the skins before roasting. The seeds can be used for oil. CAUTION: The seeds eaten in large numbers can cause diarrhoea and headaches. They probably should be cooked well. Immature seeds are not eaten. The rootstock of the young plant can be eaten raw. The leaves are used for food.

Medicinal Uses

The bark is aperient, diaphoretic and diuretic. It is used in the treatment of dropsy and rheumatism. The leaves are aperient, diuretic and laxative. They are also used in the treatment of epilepsy[2058 The fruit is astringent and mucilaginous. It is used in the treatment of gonorrhoea. The seeds are used as a purgative in Ghana. Combining the boiled seeds with a decoction of the wood has been found to be an effective medication for the alleviation of rheumatism. The oil from the seed is laxative and carminative. It is applied externally to treat itches and other skin diseases. It is extracted on a local scale to be used in medicine.

Known Hazards

The oil of Sterculia foetida has been found to be comparable to sunflower, soybean, and grapeseed oils for the use of biofuels. Sterculia foetida oil contains cyclopropene fatty acids (CPFA) such as 8,9 methylene-heptadec-8-enoic acid (malvalic acid) and 9,10-methylene-ocadec-9-enoic acid (sterculic acid). The flash point, iodine value, free fatty acid count, phosphorus content, cloud point, pour point, viscosity at 40 °C, oxidative stability at 110 °C, density, and trace metal count are all within ASTM and EN specifications. Evidence suggests that the seeds are edible, but purgative, and should be roasted prior to eating. At least one review indicates that CPFA such as sterculic acid are carcinogenic, co-carcinogenic, and have medical and other effects on animals; according to this review, "CPFA in food is dangerous to human health". In Vietnam, the tree is called Trôm and its sap is harvested to use as a soft drink called "Mủ Trôm".

Distribution

A tropical plant. Plants grow in the tropical lowlands in dry woodlands. They are common throughout the islands of the Philippines along the seashores and partly open forests at low and medium altitudes. In Nepal it grows up to 300 m altitude. It can grow in arid places. It suits hardiness zones 10-12.

Where It Grows

Africa, Asia, Australia, Bangladesh, Cambodia, China, Cambodia, Cuba, Djibouti, East Africa, East Timor, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Ghana, Hawaii, Himalayas, India, Indochina, Indonesia, Kenya, Laos, Malaysia, Middle East, Mozambique, Myanmar, Nepal, Northeastern India, Oman, Pacific, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, PNG, Philippines, Puerto Rico, SE Asia, Senegal, Somalia, South Africa, Southern Africa, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Tanzania, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Uganda, USA, Vietnam, West Africa, West Indies, Yemen,

Cultivation

Plants are grown from seed. It can also be grown from mature cuttings. Some trees need cross pollination to produce fruit.

Propagation

Seed - needs to be sown when fresh. Seedlings grow rapidly and form long taproots. They need to be planted into their permanent positions as soon as possible. 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. Cuttings

Other Uses

A fibre is obtained from the bark and the roots. The fibre is the inner bark of the tree and, when freshly stripped, has a lace-like character which adapts it for fancy work. It is used for making mats, bags, cordage, and paper A gum that resembles 'gum tragacanth', is obtained from the trunk and branches and is used for bookbinding and similar purposes. The leaves are insect repellent. A non-drying oil is obtained from the seed. The oil is used for lighting. An unusual feature of the seed is that oil is present in the testa as well as the kernel. The total oil content is about 34%. Traditionally, the oil is mixed with white earth and used as a paint. The timber is greyish-white and soft but is harder than most other species of the genus. It is easy to saw and work, finishes fairly well, is very perishable when exposed to the weather or is in contact with the ground, although it is fairly durable for interior work. It is used for making rough packing cases, and locally for making doors of huts, dugout canoes, boat planking, guitars and carved toys.

Production

It is fast growing. A tree can yield 20 kg of nuts.

Notes

Seeds are above-average for angiospermous plants for the amino acids: Alanine, Aspartic acid, Histidine, Isoleucine, Lysine, Methionine, Proline, and Valine. Also put in the family Sterculiaceae.

Nutrition

Synonyms

Also Known As

Ai-nitas, Arbol del clavo, Badam, Bana, Bhatala penari, Chamahong, Gurapa badam chettu, Gurapa-orguttapubadamu, Hill coconut, Jangkang, Jangali badam, Jangli badam, Jangli-the, Kadung-hta, Kaju, Kalumpang, Kelumpang, Kempuh, Kepoh, Khau-rang, Koleangka, Kongatti, Letkok, Letpan-shaw, Peenaree marum, Poh, Pohon kepuh, Pohu odal, Pottaikavalam, Pottakavalam, Sam rang, Sam, Samraong, Samrong breng, Shaw-byu, Shaw-wah, Sumrong, Telambu, Trom hoi

References (54)

• Ambasta, S.P. (Ed.), 2000, The Useful Plants of India. CSIR India. p 600
• Anderson, E. F., 1993, Plants and people of the Golden Triangle. Dioscorides Press. p 222
• Arinathan, V., et al, 2007, Wild edibles used by Palliyars of the western Ghats, Tamil Nadu. Indian Journal of Traditional Knowledge. 6(1) pp 163-168
• Ashton, M. S., et al 1997, A Field Guide to the Common Trees and Shrubs of Sri Lanka. WHT Publications Ltd. pdf p 375
• Bajpai, O., et al, 2015, Tree species of the Himalayan Terai region of Uttar Pradesh, India: a checklist. Check List 11(4): 1718

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