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Sterculia cordata Blume

Family Name:	Malvaceae
Common Name:	Kelumpang, Kembang

Sterculia cordata or Kelumpang is a native tree of Singapore. Leaves are egg to spoon or broadly elliptic leaves with a heart-shaped base, dense star-like hairs are found on the underside. Drooping clusters of bell-shaped, 5-lobed flowers, pink, reddish to orange coloured with a dark red centre found at the tip of the branches. The fruit is a red, woody follicle that spilt upon maturity revealing its elliptic dark seeds.

Full Sun

Moderate Water

Native to Singapore

Suitable for Roadsides

Ornamental Flowers

Tree

Name

Family Name
Genus Epithet
Species Epithet
Name Authority
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Comments
Species Summary

Classifications and Characteristics

Plant Division	Angiosperms (Flowering Seed Plants) (Dicotyledon)
Plant Growth Form	Tree (Medium (16m-30m), Big (>30m))
Mode of Nutrition	Autotrophic

Maximum Height

45 m

Biogeography

Native Distribution	Sumatra, Peninsular Malaysia, Java, Borneo, the Philippines
Native Habitat	Terrestrial (Primary Rainforest, Secondary Rainforest)
Preferred Climate Zone	Tropical

Local Conservation Status

Native to Singapore (Critically Endangered (CR))

Description and Ethnobotany

Growth Form	It is a tree that is briefly deciduous, generally to 20 m tall. In Borneo, it can reach to 45 m tall. It has horizontal branches in whorls and short buttresses at the base of the trunk.
Foliage	Leaves are simple, spirally arranged and clustered towards the end of the twigs held on a petiole of 2 - 5 cm long covered in dense star-like hairs. The leaves are egg to spoon-shaped to broadly elliptic, measuring 8 - 30 cm long by 5 - 19 cm wide with a shallow heart-shaped to box-shaped base and abrupt to broadly pointed tip. Dense, star-like hairs are found on the underside, the upper surface remains smooth.
Flowers	Flowers are monecious where the female and male parts are borne on separate flowers. They are produced in drooping clusters of bell-shaped flowers, pink, reddish to orange coloured with a dark red centre. Star-like hairs are found on both sides of the 5-lobed flowers. Female flowers measure at 4 - 8 mm long, slightly larger than male flowers of 3 - 5 mm long.

Fruit	The fruit is pendulous, woody, oblong follicle in groups of up to 5, measuring 9 cm long, 5 cm wide. Upon maturity, the fruit turns red and splits open to reveal its dark elliptic seeds.
Habitat	Occurs in primary and secondary forest in low altitude, sometimes on limestone, often in seasonally flooded areas. <1,2>
Associated Fauna	Its flowers are insect-pollinated.
Cultivation	It can be propagated by seed.
Etymology	Latin, cordatus, means heart shaped, referring to the leaf base.
Ethnobotanical Uses	Timber & Products: It produces lightweight softwood.

Landscaping Features

Desirable Plant Features	Ornamental Flowers
Landscape Uses	Suitable for Roadsides, Parks & Gardens
Plant & Rootzone Preference or Tolerance Remarks	Sandy soil

Fauna, Pollination and Dispersal

Pollination Method(s)	Biotic (Fauna)

Plant Care and Propagation

Light Preference	Full Sun
Water Preference	Moderate Water
Plant Growth Rate	Moderate

Propagation Method	Seed
Propagation Method Remarks	Presence of hard seed coat makes it difficult to germinate. Part of the seed coat can be carefully removed to allow water to enter without damaging the embryo.

Foliar

Foliage Retention	Evergreen
Mature Foliage Colour(s)	Green
Mature Foliage Texture(s)	Hairy / Hirsute

Foliar Type	Simple / Unifoliate
Foliar Arrangement Along Stem	Spiral
Foliar Attachment to Stem	Petiolate
Foliar Shape(s)	Non-Palm Foliage (Elliptical, Oblong, Obovate, Ovate)
Foliar Venation	Pinnate / Net
Foliar Margin	Entire
Foliar Apex - Tip	Acuminate, Acute, Rounded
Foliar Base	Cordate, Truncate / Square

Non - Foliar and Storage

Bark Colour(s)	Orange-brown, Dark brown
Mature Bark Texture	Cracked, Scaly
Stem Type & Modification	Woody

Root Type

Underground (Tap Root)

Floral (Angiosperm)

Flower & Plant Sexuality	Unisexual Flowers , Monoecious
Flower Colour(s)	Red, Orange, Pink

Flower Texture(s)	Hairy / Hirsute
Flower Grouping	Cluster / Inflorescence
Flower Location	Terminal
Flower Symmetry	Radial
Individual Flower Shape	Campaulate / Bell-shaped
Inflorescence Type	Panicle
Flowering Habit	Polycarpic

Fruit, Seed and Spore

Mature Fruit Colour(s)	Red
Fruit Classification	Simple Fruit
Fruit Type	Dehiscent Dry Fruit , Follicle

Mature Seed Colour(s)	Black, Brown
Seed Quantity Per Fruit	Few (1-5), Moderate (6-10)

References

References	<1> Gardner, S., Sidisunthorn, P. & Chayamarit, K. (2016), Malvaceae (Sterculiaceae). Forest Trees of Southern Thailand, vol. 2, pp. 1169. Bangkok: Kobfai Publishing Project. <2> Wilkie, P & Berhaman, A. (2011). Sterculiaceae. Tree Flora of Sabah and Sarawak, vol 7., pp. 390-391. Selangor: Forest Research Institute Malaysia.

References

<1> Gardner, S., Sidisunthorn, P. & Chayamarit, K. (2016), Malvaceae (Sterculiaceae). Forest Trees of Southern Thailand, vol. 2, pp. 1169. Bangkok: Kobfai Publishing Project.

<2> Wilkie, P & Berhaman, A. (2011). Sterculiaceae. Tree Flora of Sabah and Sarawak, vol 7., pp. 390-391. Selangor: Forest Research Institute Malaysia.

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Master ID	29419
Species ID	3728
Flora Disclaimer	The information in this website has been compiled from reliable sources, such as reference works on medicinal plants. It is not a substitute for medical advice or treatment and NParks does not purport to provide any medical advice. Readers should always consult his/her physician before using or consuming a plant for medicinal purposes.