sterculia

American  

[stur-kyoo-lee-uh] / stɜrˈkyu li ə /

noun

1. any of various tropical trees of the genus Sterculia, of which some species are grown as ornamentals and some are the source of commercially valuable wood.

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sterculia British  

/ stɜːˈkjuːlɪə /

noun

1. a dietary fibre used as a food stabilizer and denture adhesive. It is the dried gum tapped from the trunk and stems of the tree Sterculia urens , native to Central India and Pakistan

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Etymology

Origin of sterculia

1765–75; < New Latin, equivalent to Latin Stercul ( us ) a Roman deity supposed to have invented manuring (derivative of stercus manure, excrement) + ia -ia; from the fetid odor of the blossoms of certain species

Example Sentences

Theobroma, thē-ō-brō′ma, n. a small tropical American genus of trees of the sterculia or kola-nut family.

From Chambers's Twentieth Century Dictionary (part 4 of 4: S-Z and supplements) by Various

The trees on this firm margin of land were a species of eucalyptus, cypresses, and the sterculia heterophylla, with a few casuarinae.

From Journals of Two Expeditions into the Interior of New South Wales by Oxley, John

The country was well grassed and openly wooded with box, sterculia, leguminous ironbark, and terminalia.

From Journals of Australian Explorations by Gregory, Augustus Charles

The country traversed, consisted of scrubby flats, and low sandy ridges, timbered with bloodwood, messmate, mimosa, melaleuca, grevillea, and two or three species of the sterculia or curriijong, then in full blossom.

From Narrative of the Overland Expedition of the Messrs. Jardine from Rockhampton to Cape York, Northern Queensland by Byerley, Frederick, J.

We resumed our journey at 6.25 a.m., steering an east-south-east course, but after crossing some fine grassy ironbark ridges, entered a dense scrub of acacia, sterculia, bauhinia, and thorny shrubs.

From Journals of Australian Explorations by Gregory, Augustus Charles