African star-chestnut
Sterculia africana

Family: Malvaceae

What it is like

A medium to tall tree. It can be 15 m tall. It has a thick trunk. It can be 2.5 m across. The leaves are light green and crowded at the ends of branches. They are 5-15 cm long and 4-13 cm wide. They can be broadly egg shaped or 3-5 lobed. The lobes are pointed and the base indented. The flowers are in sprays at the ends of twigs. They are 1.9 cm across and with 5-6 petal like lobes. They are yellow with red stripes. The flowers are male and female. The fruit have 1-5 follicles or lobes. These are thick, hard, oblong pods. They have a tail like point. They open wide to reveal stinging hairs. There are blue-black seeds inside. These are edible. The seeds are rich in oil.

Also put in the family Sterculiaceae.

Where it is found

A tropical plant. It often grows on hot, dry areas on rocky hills. In East Africa it grows from sea level to 1,000 m altitude. It can grow in semi desert. It can grow in arid places. In Brisbane Botanical Gardens.

Countries/locations it is found in

Africa, Angola, Australia, Botswana, Djibouti, East Africa, Eritrea, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, Middle East, Mozambique, Namibia, Oman, Socotra, Somalia, South Africa, Southern Africa, Sudan, Swaziland, Tanzania, Zambia, Zimbabwe

How it is used for food

The seeds are roasted and eaten. They can be eaten raw. The seeds are also pounded and sieved and the flour cooked with vegetables.

Edible parts

Fruit, seeds, bark

How it is grown

Plants can be grown from seeds.

Seeds are collected during the dry season.

Its other names

Local names

Chitondo, Geed-jini, Ikuayva, Kautsee, Kereri, M'gosa, Marapeixo, Mfune, Mhozya, Mluze, Mopopoja tree, Moza, Mtumbwi, Muhozya, Mujuria, Muluze, Muusya, Muyamba, Ngoza, Olkarasha, Ourae, Qararu, Qawrenta, Qawreta, Qawureta, Qereri, Rapeixo, Tick tree

Synonyms

Sterculia guerichii K. Schum.; Sterculia rhynchocarpa sensu KTS; Sterculia triphaca R.Br. [Illegitimate]; Triphaca africana Lour.; and others