Sterculia balanghas is a species of plant in the family Malvaceae. 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.[2]

Sterculia balanghas
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Malvales
Family: Malvaceae
Genus: Sterculia
Species:
S. balanghas
Binomial name
Sterculia balanghas
Synonyms
  • Balanghas telabo Raf.
  • Southwellia angustifolia Wight
  • Southwellia balanghas Spach [1]

The plant is known as "nawa - නාවා"[3] by Sinhalese people in Sri Lanka.[4] It is widely used as an ornamental tree and as a fence tree in Sri Lanka.

References

edit
  1. ^ "Sterculia balanghas L. — The Plant List". theplantlist.org. Retrieved 2015-07-04.
  2. ^ "Sterculia balanghas Ait. | Species | India Biodiversity Portal". indiabiodiversity.org. Retrieved 2015-07-04.
  3. ^ "Sterculia balanghas ,Sterculiaceae Family,SriLankaView, Flora in Sri Lanka,". srilankaview.com. Retrieved 2015-07-04.
  4. ^ "Biodiversity of Sri Lanka: නාවා [Nawa] (Sterculia balanghas)". biodiversityofsrilanka.blogspot.com. Retrieved 2015-07-04.