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Summary

Sterculia is a genus of about 180 species of flowering plants in the hibiscus family Malvaceae, subfamily Sterculioideae. It was formerly placed in the now obsolete family Sterculiaceae. Members of the genus are colloquially known as tropical chestnuts. Sterculia may be monoecious or dioecious, and its flowers unisexual or bisexual.

Distribution

This genus is pan-tropical, with species occurring in tropical and subtropical parts of Africa, Asia, the Indo-Pacific region and the Americas.

Taxonomy

As of January 2026, Plants of the World Online accepts the following 183 species:

Sterculia abbreviata E.L.Taylor ex Mondragón Sterculia aberrans Tardieu Sterculia acuminatissima Merr. Sterculia aerisperma Cuatrec. Sterculia africana (Lour.) Fiori Sterculia albidiflora Ducke Sterculia alexandri Harv. Sterculia allenii E.L.Taylor ex Al.Rodr. & D.Santam. Sterculia amazonica E.L.Taylor ex Mondragón Sterculia ampla Baker f. Sterculia apeibophylla Ducke Sterculia apetala (Jacq.) H.Karst. Sterculia appendiculata K.Schum. Sterculia backeri Tantra Sterculia balanghas L. Sterculia bammleri K.Schum. Sterculia blumei G.Don Sterculia bolavenensis Tagane & Soulad. Sterculia bracteata Gagnep. Sterculia brevissima H.H.Hsue ex Y.Tang, M.G.Gilbert & Dorr Sterculia campaniflora Ridl. Sterculia caribaea R.Br. Sterculia carrii Tantra Sterculia ceramica R.Br. Sterculia chapelieri Baill. Sterculia cheekii Dorr Sterculia chlamydothyrsa Mildbr. Sterculia chrysodasys Miq. Sterculia cinerea A.Rich. Sterculia cochinchinensis Pierre Sterculia cognata Prain Sterculia colombiana Sprague Sterculia comorensis Baill. Sterculia comosa Wall. Sterculia conwentzii K.Schum. Sterculia cordata Blume Sterculia corrugata Little Sterculia costaricana Pittier Sterculia crassinervia Miq. Sterculia cuneifolia Miq. Sterculia curiosa (Vell.) Taroda Sterculia cuspidata R.Br. Sterculia dactylocarpa Warb. Sterculia darbyshirei Tantra Sterculia dasyphylla A.C.Sm. Sterculia dawei Sprague Sterculia duckei...