Sterculia
Sterculia, commonly known as cotton trees or snowball trees, comprises a diverse genus of tropical flowering plants. Renowned for their unique botanical structures and ornamental value, many species hold significant medicinal importance. They are frequently utilized in traditional medicine to treat inflammation, skin ailments, and various digestive disorders.
- Scientific name: Sterculia
- Family: Malvaceae
- Native range: Africa
Taxonomical Classification
This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and is classified under the phylum Streptophyta and the class Equisetopsida. Within the subclass Magnoliidae, it falls under the order Malvales and the family Malvaceae. Finally, it is categorized under the genus Sterculia.
| Rank | Classification | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Kingdom | Plantae | WCVP |
| Phylum | Streptophyta | WCVP |
| Class | Equisetopsida | WCVP |
| Subclass | Magnoliidae | WCVP |
| Order | Malvales | WCVP |
| Family | Malvaceae | WCVP |
| Genus | Sterculia | WCVP |
Common Names
This plant, known scientifically as Sterculia, is recognized by various common names across different languages and regions. In Chinese, it is referred to as 苹婆属 (zh-hans), 蘋婆屬 (zh-hant), and 蘋婆屬 (zh-hk). In Slavic languages, it is known as Стеркулия (ru) in Russian and Стэркулія (be) in Belarusian.| Language | Common Name | Source |
|---|---|---|
| zh-hans | 苹婆属 | Wikidata |
| zh-hant | 蘋婆屬 | Wikidata |
| zh-hk | 蘋婆屬 | Wikidata |
| ru | Стеркулия | Wikidata |
| be | Стэркулія | Wikidata |
| de | Stinkbäume | Wikidata |
| ja | ピンポンノキ属 | Wikidata |
| vi | Chi Trôm | Wikidata |
| az | Sterkuliya | Wikidata |
| ar | برازية | Wikidata |
Distribution
This plant exhibits a specific geographical distribution concentrated within the West Tropical Africa region. It can be found growing in the natural landscapes of Benin and Burkina. Furthermore, its presence extends to the territories of Gambia and Ghana. The distribution also includes the coastal areas of Guinea-Bissau. These specific locations highlight the plant's localized range across these West African nations.
| Region | Area | Source |
|---|---|---|
| West Tropical Africa | Benin | WCVP |
| West Tropical Africa | Burkina | WCVP |
| West Tropical Africa | Gambia | WCVP |
| West Tropical Africa | Ghana | WCVP |
| West Tropical Africa | Guinea-Bissau | WCVP |
| West Tropical Africa | Guinea | WCVP |
| West Tropical Africa | Ivory Coast | WCVP |
| West Tropical Africa | Liberia | WCVP |
| West Tropical Africa | Mali | WCVP |
| West Tropical Africa | Mauritania | WCVP |
Plant Parts
This plant, belonging to the genus Sterculia, is valued for various therapeutic properties derived from its different anatomical components. The seeds are often utilized in traditional medicine due to their specific chemical compositions, while the tree itself is known for producing gummy exudates when the bark or stem is wounded. These viscous substances eventually harden into gum, which is harvested and employed in various medicinal applications for its unique bioactive qualities.- Total parts
- 3
- Scientific sources
- 3
| Plant Part | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| seeds | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| gummy exudates | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| gum | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Chemicals
Sterculia has 1 reported phytochemicals identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include maleic anhydride.
- Total chemicals
- 1
- Scientific sources
- 1
Most Reported Compounds
| Compound | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| maleic anhydride | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Activities
Sterculia has 7 reported activities identified across 7 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Analgesic, Antibacterial, Antidiabetic, Antimicrobial, Antioxidant.
- Total activities
- 7
- Scientific sources
- 7
Most Reported Activities
| Activity | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| Analgesic | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Antibacterial | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Antidiabetic | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Antimicrobial | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Antioxidant | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Antiulcer | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Cytotoxic | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Medicinal Uses
Sterculia has 3 reported medicinal uses identified across 3 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported uses include gastrointestinal disorders, inflammation, skin diseases.
- Total uses
- 3
- Scientific sources
- 3
Most Reported Uses
| Use | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| gastrointestinal disorders | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| inflammation | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| skin diseases | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |