家麻树 jia ma shu

Sterculia pexa var. yunnanensis (Hu) H. H. Hsue; S. yunnanensis Hu.

Trees. Branchlets robust. Leaves palmately compound; stipules triangularly lanceolate, ca. 5 mm, pilose; petiole usually 20-23 cm; leaflets 7-9; leaflet blades obovate-lanceolate or narrowly elliptic, 9-23 × 4-6 cm, abaxially densely stellate pubescent, adaxially nearly glabrous, lateral veins 22-44, parallel, base cuneate, margin entire, apex acuminate. Inflorescence clustered at branchlet tips, racemose or paniculate, up to 20 cm. Epicalyx lobes linear-lanceolate, ca. 1 cm. Calyx white, campanulate, ca. 6 mm, divided to 1/2 length, abaxially densely stellate pubescent, lobes triangular, apex acuminate, incurved and apically coherent with each other. Male flower: androgynophore linear, glabrous. Anthers 10-20, capitate. Female flower: ovary globose, 5-locular, densely puberulent. Style very short; stigma 5-branched. Follicle brownish red, ellipsoid and slightly curved to sickle-shaped, 4-9 × 2-4 cm, 3-seeded, abaxially densely puberulent and hispid, adaxially stellate hairy, margin densely ciliate, apex obtuse. Seeds black, oblong, ca. 1.5 cm. Fl. Oct.

Sunny dry slopes, roadsides, cultivated around villages. SW Guangxi, S and SE Yunnan [Laos, Thailand, Vietnam].

The bark fiber is used for making rope or other similar purposes. The seeds are edible after boiling. The timber is good for furniture.