Sterculia parkinsonii

F. Mueller

Gwa'u

Malvaceae Edible: Seeds, Nuts

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Conveyor Belt

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Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew

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Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew

Description

A medium sized lowland rainforest tree. It grows 40 m tall. It has large buttresses up to 3 m high and 3 m wide. The leaves are simple and entire. They are broadly oval and 12-40 cm long by 10-35 cm wide. The flowers are in groups in the axils of leaves or towards the ends of branches. The seeds are oblong and 1-2.3 cm long. They are black.

Edible Uses

The seeds from ripe fruit are eaten, particularly by children.

Traditional Uses

Children eat the seeds of the ripe fruit.

This uses section is brief — help expand it

Distribution

A tropical plant. It grows on Rennell Island around swamps.

Where It Grows

Asia, Indochina, Indonesia, Malaysia, Pacific, Papua New Guinea, PNG, Philippines, SE Asia, Solomon Islands, Thailand,

Cultivation

Plants are grown from seeds.

Other Information

They are eaten especially by children.

Notes

Also put in the family Sterculiaceae.

Synonyms

Possibly now a synonym of Sterculia crassiramea Merr.Sterculia crassiramea Merr.Sterculia oncinocarpa F. v. Mueller & ForbesSterculia parkinsonii F.v. Mueller

Also Known As

Mangango, Popogo, Popoho

References (3)

French, B.R., 2010, Food Plants of Solomon Islands. A Compendium. Food Plants International Inc. p 391 (As Sterculia parkinsonii)
Henderson, C.P. and I.R.Hancock, 1988, A Guide to the Useful Plants of the Solomon Islands. Res. Dept. Min of Ag. & Lands. Honiara, Solomon Islands. p 137
Walter, A. & Sam C., 2002, Fruits of Oceania. ACIAR Monograph No. 85. Canberra. p 248