Sterculia foetida L.
| Etymology | Genus | After the Roman god of fertilisation, Sterculius |
|---|---|---|
| Species | Foul smelling | |
| Family | Malvaceae | |
| Synonyms | - | |
| Common Names | Great Sterculia, Java Olive, Kelupang, Indian Almond, Kepoh | |
| Status | Exotic: Cultivated Only | |
| Form | Tree | |
| Native Distribution | East Africa, Southeast Asia, Queensland, and the Pacific Islands | |
Diagnostics
Sterculia foetida is a common cultivated tree with pagoda-like branching. The leaves are palmately compound and have long petioles. It resembles Ceiba pentandra in its form and leaves.
Interesting Facts
The Giant Sterculia grows naturally on coastal rocky and sandy shores (Corner, 1997). It can grow up to 30m tall and is a deciduous species, though this is not pronounced in Singapore (Corner, 1997).
Form of the Giant Sterculia planted in Punggol.
Leaves are palmately compound.
Its primary branching radiates from points like a pagoda.
Cluster of ripe fruits.
The ripe fruits splitting open to reveal the seeds.
A look at how long the petioles are.
References
Corner EJH. (1997) Wayside Trees of Malaya. Volume 2. 4th edition. The Malaysian Nature Society, Kuala Lumpur. 297 pp.
Siyang ·
2013-07-25 / Modified: 2017-12-25