Kingdom Plantae Genus Sterculia Order Malvales | Family Malvaceae Rank Species | |
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Similar Sterculia, Sterculia alexandri, Semecarpus, Sterculia guttata, Sterculia murex | ||
Sterculia balanghas is a species of plant in the Malvaceae family. It is native to India and Sri Lanka. Leaves are simple, alternate; swollen at base and tipped; lamina elliptic, obovate, oblong, elliptic-ovate or oblong-ovate; base subcordate or round; apex acuminate; with entire margin. Flowers may be unisexual or polygamous are yellow or greenish-purple in color. Inflorescence show terminal or axillary panicles. Orange to red colored fruit is oblong and seeds are black in color.
The plant is known as "Nawa - නාවා" by Sinhalese people in Sri Lanka. It is widely used as an ornamental tree and as a fence tree in Sri Lanka.
References
Sterculia balanghas Wikipedia(Text) CC BY-SA