Sterculia urens Roxb.

🌿 Common Name: Indian-tragacanth, gum karaya, Indian gum tragacanth, Ghost tree, कुलु, कडाया, कुळु, कतीरा,

IUCN Status

Not Applicable : Not Applicable
Sonu kumar
Author: Sonu kumar

Myself Sonu Kumar and I'm from Bundi. Currently I'm working as a district coordinator kota at BRDS society India. I have always been a devout admirer of nature and I would be happy to share more information about the plant wealth around me through this platform. #AStudentofnature #Teamefloraofrajasthan 🌿🌱🐛🦋🔍 Insta page: https://www.instagram.com/eflora_of_rajasthan/

  • Naturally grown
    • Gum karaya is a medium-sized, deciduous tree to 15 m in height, usually with a clean, crooked, short bole up to 2 m DBH; branches large, spreading; bark thick, greyish-white or reddish, smooth, shining with a thin, white transparent outer coat, peeling off in papery flakes. Leaves on long petioles, crowded at the ends of branches, palmately 5-lobed, 20-30 cm diameter; tomentose beneath, glabrous above, entire, acuminate; stipules caducous. Flowers greenish yellow, small, in terminal panicles; follicles 4-6, ovoid-oblong, about 2.5 cm diameter, coriaceous, red, covered with stinging hairs. Infact, the specific name urens means stinging in reference to the hairs on flowers. Fruit consists of 5 sessile, radiating, ovate-lanceolate hard, coriaceous carpels, 7.5 cm long, red when ripe, covered outside with many stiff bristles. Trees exude gum karaya used in foodstuffs as emulsifiers, stabilizers and thickeners. Seeds are eaten after roasting. Seeds and young tender roots are eaten in times of famine.
    • Fl.-Fr.: Dec.-May
    • PC: © Sonu Kumar 
    • Source: Foi, efoi, powo,ibp, iNat 
  • DocScanner Feb 27, 2025 09-13_2
    DocScanner Feb 27, 2025 09-13_2
    Habitat
  • DocScanner Feb 27, 2025 09-13_4
    DocScanner Feb 27, 2025 09-13_4
    Flowering
  • DocScanner Feb 27, 2025 09-13_3
    DocScanner Feb 27, 2025 09-13_3
    Newly emerging fruits

Plant Phenological Events

Month Phenological Events
January 🍂 Leaf Fall
February 🌼 Flowering, 🍂 Leaf Fall

Systematic position

DivisionAngiosperm
ClassDicotyledons
Sub-Class
SeriesThalamiflorae
OrdMalvales
FamilySTERCULIACEAE
SpeciesSterculia urens Roxb.
Authors Who Agreed with this information:

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