Stink trees

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Stink trees
Sterculia foetida, leaves

Sterculia foetida , leaves

Systematics
Rosids
Eurosiden II
Order : Mallow-like (Malvales)
Family : Mallow family (Malvaceae)
Subfamily : Sterculioideae (Sterculioideae)
Genre : Stink trees
Scientific name
Sterculia
L.

Stink trees ( Sterculia ) are a genus of plants in the subfamily of the stink tree family (Sterculioideae) within the family of the mallow family (Malvaceae). It is distributed around the world with around 100 to 200 species in the tropics and subtropics . The greatest biodiversity is in tropical Asia. There are 26 species in China, 14 of them only there. These trees are named Stinkbaum because of the stinking smell of their flowers.

description

Illustration of Sterculia nobilis

Appearance and leaves

Sterculia species grow as deciduous, mostly large trees or shrubs . Leaves and flowers often have a strong odor. The alternate leaves are simple, lobed or divided in the shape of a hand. The leaf margins are smooth or serrated. There are mostly short-lived stipules present.

Inflorescences and flowers

Laterally or terminally, mostly paniculate or less often racemose inflorescences are formed. Often there are hermaphroditic and / or unisexual flowers on one specimen ( monoecia or andromonoce ). The mostly radial symmetry flowers are five-fold. The five sepals are fused tubular or bell-shaped. Petals are missing. Stamens are (0) 10 to 30 present. (Three to) four to five carpels have become a top permanent ovary grown, they are free in the fruit. There are two to many ovules per carpel . The stamens are fused together and form an androgynophore with the gynoeceum . In the female flowers, the androgynophore is very short and staminodes are located in a ring around the base of the carpels. In the male flowers, the stamen tube encloses the rudimentary carpels. The style ends with as many (sometimes shield-shaped) scars as carpels.

Fruits and seeds

The mostly leathery or, more rarely, woody, conspicuous follicle fruits are grouped together in a star-like manner, which open when ripe and contain one to many seeds. The elongated seeds are brown or velvety black and usually contain endosperm .

use

  • Partly timber
  • Karaya (sterculia gum)
  • The seeds of some species are edible and used.

Systematics

It was first published in 1753 by Carl von Linné in Species Plantarum , 2, p. 1007. In 1929, Sterculia foetida L. was specified as the lectotype . Synonyms for Sterculia L. are: Ivira Aubl. , Mateatia Vell. , Triphaca Lour. , Xylosterculia Kosterm. The genus Sterculia is today one of twelve genera in the subfamily of the stink tree family (Sterculioideae) within the family of the mallow family (Malvaceae).

Sterculia apetala , nationaltreeof Panama ("Panama tree", Spanish: "Camoruco")
Closed fruits of Sterculia lanceolata
Foliage leaves, opened follicles and seeds of Sterculia roxburghiana
Inflorescence of Sterculia urens
Sterculia setigera

There are around 100 to 200 Sterculia species (selection):

photos

swell

  • Ya Tang, Michael G. Gilbert & Laurence J. Dorr: Sterculiaceae in der Flora of China , Volume 12, 2007, p. 303: Sterculia - Online. (Section description)
  • Sultanul Abedin & Abdul Ghafoor: Sterculiaceae in the Flora of Pakistan : Sterculia - Online. (Section description)

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Sterculia at Tropicos.org. Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis
  2. a b Sterculia in the Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN), USDA , ARS , National Genetic Resources Program. National Germplasm Resources Laboratory, Beltsville, Maryland.
  3. ^ David John Mabberley: Mabberley's Plant-Book. A portable dictionary of plants, their classification and uses . 3rd ed. Cambridge University Press 2008. ISBN 978-0-521-82071-4

Web links

Commons : Stinky Trees ( Sterculia )  - Collection of images, videos and audio files