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Sterculia lychnophora
Scaphium affine is a tree in the mallow family (Malvaceae), native to mainland Southeast Asia and grown mainly for its seeds, which are used in traditional medicine and as a non-timber forest product. It can reach 25 to 30 metres tall, so it is a forest tree rather than a garden or houseplant.
Scaphium affine is a tree species in the family Malvaceae, subfamily Sterculioideae (previously placed in the Sterculiaceae and synonyms include Sterculia lychnophora Hance).The species is endemic to mainland Southeast Asia, and no subspecies are recognized in the Catalogue of Life.
Scaphium affine has culinary and traditional medicinal uses. In English, it is known as malva nut tree, or sometimes "Taiwan sweet gum tree", although these names also apply to the similar Scaphium macropodum (Vietnamese: ươi).
In traditional medicine, especially Ayurveda and traditional Chinese medicine, the seeds of this species and its close relative, S. macropodum, are used to treat gastrointestinal disorders, to soothe the throat, and as a "coolant". As a result, it is a popular non-timber forest product in Laos, where it is the country's second-largest export crop after coffee. Sterculinine, a bio-active alkaloid, is found in this species.
Text excerpted from the Wikipedia article Scaphium affine by its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0; the excerpts and the care summary drawn from them are shared under the same licence.
The care summary was written by AI (Claude, Anthropic) from the sources on this page, with general growing knowledge where they are silent. Check before relying on it.
