STERCULIACE. 
Synopsis of the Genera. 
1 Srercu Lia. Flowers polygamous or monoecious. Stamens 
monadelphous ; anthers 10-20 in one or two series, solitary or 
ternately aggregate. Carpels 5, distinct, stipitate, legume- 
formed, 1 or many-seeded, opening on the upper side. 
2 Trrpuaca. Flowers monoecious. Stamens 15, monadel- 
phous. Style 1. Carpels 3, legume-formed, many-seeded. 
3 Reevesta. Flowers hermaphrodite. Stamens monadel- 
phous. Anthers 15, sessile on the top of the tube. Capsule 
stipitate, 5-celled, 5-valved; cells 2-seeded; seeds winged at 
the base. 
4 Hererie’ra. Flowers monoecious. Stamens monadelphous ; 
anthers 10, sessile on the top of the tube. Carpels 5, at length 
drupaceous, and carinately-winged, indehiscent; 1-seeded from 
abortion. 
I. STERCU'LIA (from Sterculius, a god, derived from ster- 
cus. The Romans, in the height of Paganism have deified 
the objects of their greatest dislike, and the most immoral actions. 
They have the gods Sterculius Crepitus, and the goddesses 
Caca and Pertunda, &c. The flowers -as well as the leaves of 
some species are fetid.) Lin. gen. no. 1086. D.C. prod. 1. 
p. 481. . 
Lin. syst. Monoe'cia, Monadélphia. Calyx 5-lobed, some- 
what coriaceous. Stamens monadelphous, disposed in a short 
sessile, or stipitate urceolus. Anthers adnate, 10-15-20 in one 
or two rows, solitary, or ternately-aggregate. Ovary stipitate 
or sessile. Carpels follicular, 5, or fewer from abortion, distinct, 
1-celled, 1 or many-seeded, opening on the upper side; seeds 
disposed in 2 series, along the suture of the carpels. Seeds with 
fleshy albumen, and flat, leafy, equal cotyledons. Trees with 
simple or compound leaves and axillary panicles or racemes of 
flowers. This genus requires to be divided into other genera 
or sections according to the fructification, but as many of the 
species are not sufficiently known, they are here disposed artifi- 
cially. ` 
51. 
1 S. Bru`mir; leaves oblong-lanceolate, obtusely acuminated, 
quite entire, smooth ; racemes simple ; calycine segments con- 
nected at the apex; carpels' ovate. h.S. Native of Java. 
S. lanceolata, Blume, bijdr. ex. Schlecht. Linnea. 1. p. 654. 
Blume Sterculia. Tree 20 feet. 
2 S. rancroxa‘ta (Cav. diss. 5. p. 287. t. 144. f. 1.) leaves 
quite entire, smooth; racemes simple; calycine segments 
spreading; carpels few-seeded. h.G. Native of China. Lindl. 
bot. reg. 1256. Carpels oblong, crimson. Seeds black. Flowers 
reddish-brown, stellate, in small, axillary panicles. Leaves ovate- 
lanceolate. This differs from the preceding species in the sepals 
being spreading, not cohering at the base. 
Lanceolate-leaved Sterculia. Tree 20 feet. 
3 S. Bata’newas (Lin. spec. 1438. excl. syn. Rumph.) leaves 
elliptic-oblong, bluntish, entire, nearly smooth ; flowers panicled ; 
segments of calyx linear, cohering at the apex ; carpels ovate or 
obovate, many-seeded. h. S. Native of Malabar and Java. 
Cavalam, Rheed. mal. 1. t. 49. S. Balanghas, Cav. diss. 5. p. 
286. t. 143. Lois. herb. amer. t. 843.—Balanghas dicta, Burm. 
zeyl. 84. Flowers purplish. According to Rumphius the 
seeds are considered as esculent by the inhabitants of Amboyna, 
who roast them for this purpose, while the capsules are burned 
for the preparation of the pigment called cassoumba. 
Leaves ovate or oblong, entire, or rarely 3-lobed. 
_ white. 
I. STERCULIA. 515 
Balanghas Sterculia. Fl. June, Sept. Clt. 1787. Tree 
30 feet. 
4 S. no’sitis (Smith, in Rees’ ċyclop. no. 4.) leaves elliptic- 
oblong, entire, smooth; segments of calyx linear, cohering at 
the apex ; carpels ovate, mucronate, 1-4-seeded. h.S. Na- 
tive of China. S. monospérma, Vent. malm. t.91. S. Balánghas, 
Ait. hort. kew. ed. 2. vol. 5. p. 338. Southwéllia nóbilis, Sal. 
par. lond. t. 69. exclusive of the synonymes. Flowers panicled, 
pale buff-coloured, with the odour of Vanilla. Seed black. 
Noble Sterculia. Clt. 1787. Tree 20 feet. 
5 S. acumina TA (Beauv. fl. dow. 1. t. 24.) leaves oblong- 
acuminated, quite entire, smooth, on long stalks ; flowers in axil- 
lary panicles; anthers in two rows, sessile; carpels 1-2-seeded. 
h. S. Native of the tropical parts of Africa, particularly on 
the western coast. Flowers white, with spreading segments. 
Carpels usually 2, opposite from abortion. There are two 
varieties of the Cola, one with white, the other with reddish 
seeds. The seeds are about the size of horse-chesnuts. 
The seeds of this species are known throughout tropical 
Africa by the name of Cola or Kola. They have long been 
celebrated by voyagers as possessing a high degree of value 
among the natives of Guinea, who take a portion of one of 
them before each of their meals, for they believe them to en- 
hance the flavour of any thing they may subsequently eat or 
drink. The seeds formerly were said to be held in such high 
estimation among the natives of Guinea, that 50 of them were 
sufficient to purchase a wife, but at present 20 or 30 seeds can 
be purchased for a handful of cowries, while 2 or 3 tons of cowries 
would not purchase a perfect female at the present day. , We have 
eaten the seeds, they have a very bitter taste ; they are about the 
size of a pigeon’s egg, of a brownish colour ; they are supposed 
to possess the same properties as Peruvian-bark. 
Acuminated-leaved Sterculia or Cola. Clt. 1795. Tr. 40 ft. 
6 S. macroca’rPa; leaves oblong, acuminate, entire, smooth, 
on long stalks; flowers axillary, panicled ; anthers in two rows, 
sessile? carpels 4-6-seeded. h.S. Native of Guinea. Flowers 
Pods generally 2 from abortion, opposite. The seeds 
of this tree are also known under the name of Cola in Guinea ; 
they possess the same qualities as those of Stercùlia acuminata, 
Long-fruited Cola. Tree 40 feet. 
7 S. ronerréxia (Vent. malm. no. 91. in adn.) leaves ovate- 
oblong, smooth, quite entire; flowers panicled, terminal; seg- 
ments of calyx erect, hairy on the inside. h.S. Native of 
the East Indies. Flowers white from down. Fruit unknown. 
Long-leaved Sterculia. Tree 20 feet. 
8 S. ruBicindsa (Vent. malm. no. 91. adn.) leaves oblong, 
acuminated, smooth above, but clothed with rusty tomentum be- 
neath ; ‘racemes simple, tomentose ; segments of calyx conniving 
at the apex; carpels acuminate, many-seeded, wrinkled, and 
naked on the inside. h. S. Native of Java. ‘This tree, 
according to Smith, is the same as S. Baldnghas of Cav. 
Rusted-leaved Sterculia. Tree 20 feet. 
9 S. pusE’scENs ; leaves oval-oblong, cordate at the base, 
entire, rarely tricuspidate at the apex, covered with rusty down 
beneath, as well as the petioles and young branches, on long 
stalks; flowers in panicles, axillary, crowded ; segments of calyx 
cohering at the apex; carpels 4-5, pubescent, 4-5-seeded. 
h. S. Native of Guinea. S. tragacantha, Lindl. bot. reg. 
1363. Resembles S. Balanghas. Flowers greenish-red from 
down. Seeds small, red. There is a gum collected from this tree 
resembling gum tragacanth in its properties, but it is probable 
that many of the species have the same kind of substance, as it 
seems nothing more than the concrete state of the mucilage 
which is so universal in this order and the two preceding. 
Downy-leaved Sterculia. Clt. 1793. Tree 20 feet. 
10 S. GRANDIFLORA (Vent. malm. no. 91, in a note.) leaves 
Suz 
