Pterospermum diversifolium Blume (STERCULIACEAE)
Common names
Malayalam: Pambaram.
Tamil: Mooli, Vattapolavu.
Description: The trees can reach heights of up to 20 meters, with young parts displaying a fine rusty pubescence. The leaves are arranged alternately, obovate-oblong to elliptic, reaching dimensions of up to 30 x 15 cm. They feature a cordate base, an acuminate apex, and a hairy underside. The petioles extend up to 1.5 cm in length, and the stipules, measuring up to 13 mm, are caducous. Flowers up to 15 cm long, on short axillary 1-3- flowered peduncles, yellowish white, scented. Calyx lobes 5, linear, rusty tomentose outside, silky inside. Petals 5, spathulale. Staminal column adnate to gynophore; fertile stamens 15 in 5 groups of 3 between the staminodes and opposite sepals; stamens 8-10 cm long; staminodes 10-11 cm long. Gymnophore 2.5-3.5 cm long. Ovary inserted on top of staminal column on the gymnophore, 5-locular; stigma fusiform. Fruit a dehiscing capsule, up to 25 x 4 cm, woody, sulcate, 5-angled, abruptly constricted at base and apex, brown. Seeds slightly rhomboid ca 1 x 1 cm compressed with 2.5 – 3 cm long wing at one end,brown.
Flowering : September– November.
Fruiting : April – June.
Distribution: India: Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Kerala. Malesia.
Uses: Bark chewed with betel as a masticatory.
