Pan India Bouquets

Sterculia urens Roxb.

Family : Sterculiaceae
(Sterculia Or Cocoa Family)
Family (Hindi name) : GURHAL FAMILY (गुड़हल फैमिली)
Family (as per The APG System III) : Malvaceae
Basionym : Cavallium urens (Roxb.) Schott & Endl.
Synonym(s) : Clompanus urens (Roxb.) Kuntze; Kavalama urens (Roxb.) Raf.
Species Name (as per The IPNI) : Sterculia urens Roxb.
Common name : Kateera-gum, Katira, Kulu, Sterculia gum, Gum Karaya
Vernacular name : Kulu, Gulu, Gular (Hindi)
Habit : Tree
Habitat : Moist and dry deciduous forests, also scrub forests.
Comments / notes : An exudate known as Gum karaya from the trunk is valuable and used in pharmaceutical, textile, cosmetic and food industries
Key identification features : Bark pale whitish smooth peeling off in flakes. Flowers foetid. Follicles reddish yellow, woody, densely pubescent with stiff stinging bristles
Flower, Fruit : October-May
Distribution :
- Delhi : Vasant Kunj
Native : India
Exotic/Native : Native
World Distribution : India, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Malaysia
Literature : Maheshwari K.J (1963). Flora of Delhi: 84
Citation : Sankara Rao, K., Navendu Page, Deepak Kumar (2020). Pan India Bouquets. http://flora-peninsula-indica.ces.iisc.ac.in/pan/plants.php?name=Sterculia urens . Downloaded on 27 September 2023.