Botanical Family · Malvales
Sterculiaceae
Cacao/Cola family
33 speciesOrder Malvales8+ well-known plants
Now merged into Malvaceae, this tropical family includes cacao (Theobroma cacao) — the source of chocolate — and cola nuts (Cola). Trees and shrubs with mucilaginous sap and distinctive flowers where petals are sometimes absent or reduced to stamen tubes.
Browse all 33 species ↓
How to recognise the Sterculiaceae family
- 01
Stamens often in bundles or fused tube
- 02
Mucilaginous inner bark tissue
- 03
Includes Cacao, Cola, and Sterculia
Typical leaf characters
Characters typical of the family — individual species can vary.
Typical flower & fruit
Typical of the family — flowering plants only; species can vary.
Notable members
Devil's CottonAbroma augustaFlame TreeBrachychiton acerifoliusBroad-Leaved BottletreeBrachychiton australisCommon Hog WeedByttneria herbaceaDeccan SalmonwoodEriolaena hookerianaFive-Celled SalmonwoodEriolaena quinquelocularisScarlet Sterculia, Colored Sterculia, Hill GossypiumFirmiana colorataHoney-Fruit Tree, Bastard Cedar, West-Indian ElmGuazuma ulmifolia
All 33 species in STERCULIACEAE
- Devil's CottonAbroma augusta
- Flame TreeBrachychiton acerifolius
- Broad-Leaved BottletreeBrachychiton australis
- Common Hog WeedByttneria herbacea
- Deccan SalmonwoodEriolaena hookeriana
- Five-Celled SalmonwoodEriolaena quinquelocularis
- Scarlet Sterculia, Colored Sterculia, Hill GossypiumFirmiana colorata
- Honey-Fruit Tree, Bastard Cedar, West-Indian ElmGuazuma ulmifolia
- East-Indian Screw TreeHelicteres isora
- Looking-Glass TreeHeritiera littoralis
- Poplar SterculiaHildegardia populifolia
- Tree Antigonon, Guest TreeKleinhovia hospita
- Hairy MelhaniaMelhania incana
- ChocolateweedMelochia corchorifolia
- Winged Boot TreePterocymbium tinctorium
- Dinnerplate TreePterospermum acerifolium
- BayurPterospermum diversifolium
- Lance Wood TreePterospermum heyneanum
- South-Indian Kanak ChampaPterospermum reticulatum
- Rusty Kanak ChampaPterospermum rubiginosum
- Woody-Fruit Bayur TreePterospermum xylocarpum
- Buddha's Coconut TreePterygota alata
- Java Olive, Foetid Sterculia, Skunk TreeSterculia foetida
- Spotted SterculiaSterculia guttata
- Kateera-Gum, Katira, Kulu, Sterculia Gum, Gum KarayaSterculia urens
- Elephant Rope TreeSterculia villosa
- Cocoa Tree, Cocco, Cacao, Chocolate-Nut TreeTheobroma cacao
- Boater BushWaltheria indica
- Heritiera papilio
- Leptonychia caudata
- Melhania hamiltoniana
- Pterospermum canescens
- Sterculia balanghas
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