Sterculia stenocarpa
Family: Malvaceae
What it is like
A shrub or small tree. It grows 4-12 m tall. It has a spreading crown. It has several branches from just above the ground. The trunk is short and stout. The leave are round in outline with 3 shallow lobes. The leaves are 4-7 cm long by 4-10 cm wide. The base is heart shaped. The flowering shoots are in large numbers on leafless stems. The flowers are yellow with red. They have a tube 7-12 mm long with 5 spreading triangle shaped teeth. The fruit are follicles that hang down. The are narrowly cylinder shaped and 7-9 cm long by 1-1.2 cm wide. The seeds are small and 8 mm long by 5 mm wide.
Where it is found
It is a tropical plant. It grows in dry bushland from sea level to 1,700 m above sea level.
Countries/locations it is found in
Africa, East Africa, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda
How it is used for food
The fruit are eaten.
Edible parts
Fruit, leaves
How it is grown
Its other names
Local names
Alil, Ikaraasia, Qararrii