Sterculia balanghas
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Sterculia balanghas | |
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Scientific 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 | |
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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]
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.
