Malvaceae
Thespesia

Thespesia populnea (L.) Sol. ex Corrêa

First published in Ann. Mus. Hist. Nat. 9: 290 (1807)
This species is accepted
The native range of this species is NE. Sudan to Indian Ocean, Tropical & Subtropical Asia to Pacific. It is a tree and grows primarily in the wet tropical biome. It is has environmental uses and social uses, as animal food, a poison, a medicine and invertebrate food and for fuel and food.

Descriptions

George R. Proctor (2012). Flora of the Cayman Isands (Second Edition). Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew

Vernacular
POPNUT, PLOPNUT
Morphology General Habit
A shrub or small tree up to 10 m tall, the younger parts clothed with numerous very minute peltate scales, the whole plant otherwise glabrous
Morphology Leaves
Leaves mostly 7–20 cm long, the petioles often as long as the blades; blades broadly ovate, acuminate at apex, cordate at base, the margins entire
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Flowers on stout peduncles shorter than the petioles; bracteoles 1–2.5 cm long
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx
Calyx cup-shaped, 7–9 mm long; petals 5–6 cm long, pale yellow with red spot at the base, the whole turning reddish with age, the margins ciliate toward the base
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens
Staminal column much shorter than the petals. Capsule subglobose, ca. 3 cm in diameter; seeds 8–10 mm long, finely hairy on the angles.
[Cayman]

IUCN Red List of Threatened Species https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/61788175/61788179

Conservation
LC - least concern
[IUCN]

Extinction risk predictions for the world's flowering plants to support their conservation (2024). Bachman, S.P., Brown, M.J.M., Leão, T.C.C., Lughadha, E.N., Walker, B.E. https://nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/nph.19592

Conservation
Predicted extinction risk: not threatened. Confidence: confident
[AERP]

Bernal, R., G. Galeano, A. Rodríguez, H. Sarmiento y M. Gutiérrez. 2017. Nombres Comunes de las Plantas de Colombia. http://www.biovirtual.unal.edu.co/nombrescomunes/

Vernacular
algodón de monte, algodón silvestre, algodoncillo, almendro, cacambal, clemón, majagua
[UNAL]

Malvaceae, Bernard Verdcourt & Geoffrey Mwachala. Pavonia, B Verdcourt; Kosteletzkya, OJ Blanchard Jr.; Gossypium, P Fryxell & B Verdcourt. Flora of Tropical East Africa. 2009

Type
Type: Sri Lanka, Herb. Hermann vol. 4. folio 34 Linn. no. 258 (BM, lecto.)
Morphology General Habit
Shrub or small tree 0.3–10(–15) m tall with smooth brown bark; branchlets densely lepidote
Morphology Leaves
Leaves ovate, 6–15 × 5–12 cm, acuminate at the apex, cordate at base, entire, ± covered on both sides with minute sessile peltate scales, otherwise smooth and glabrous; petiole 4–11 cm long
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Flowers erect or pendent, solitary in leaf axils or a few aggregated in terminal inflorescences; pedicel 2–12 cm long; bracts of epicalyx 3–5, narrowly triangular or oblong-lanceolate, 2–7(–12) mm long, quickly falling; calyx 0.7–1.5 × 0.7 cm, densely lepidote, ± entire or with minute teeth about 1 mm long
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla
Petals yellow turning red with age, obovate, 4–10.5 × 3.5–7 cm, lepidote outside
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Fruit depressed globose, 2.5–3 cm long, 3–4.5 cm diameter, lepidote.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds
Seeds angular-ovoid, 10–15 × 6–9 mm, rusty brown pubescent or ± glabrous.
[FTEA]

M. Thulin. Flora of Somalia, Vol. 1–4 [updated 2008] https://plants.jstor.org/collection/FLOS

Distribution
Planted as an ornamental along the coast, at least in Cadale (S2) widespread on tropical beaches.
Morphology General Habit
Shrub or tree up to 10 m tall, all parts with scale-like hairs
Morphology Leaves
Leaves with 4–11 cm long petiole; blade ovate-cordate, up to 15 x 12 cm, acute to acuminate
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Flowers solitary; pedicels 2.5–9 cm long
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Epicalyx
Epicalyx bracts 3, 2–12 mm long, lanceolate to triangular, inserted at base of calyx, falling off quickly
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx
Calyx 7–15 mm long, entire or with short widely spaced teeth
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla
Petals 5–8 cm long, yellow with red base, not or inconspicuously gland-dotted
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Fruit a subglobose leathery berry, up to 3 cm in diam.
[FSOM]

Bernal, R., Gradstein, S.R. & Celis, M. (eds.). 2015. Catálogo de plantas y líquenes de Colombia. Instituto de Ciencias Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Bogotá. http://catalogoplantasdecolombia.unal.edu.co

Distribution
Nativa y cultivada en Colombia; Alt. 0 - 50 m.; Llanura del Caribe.
Morphology General Habit
Árbol
Conservation
No Evaluada
[CPLC]

Malvaceae, Hutchinson and Dalziel. Flora of West Tropical Africa 1:2. 1958

Morphology General Habit
A coastal tree or shrub
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla
Petals yellow, large and showy
Note
Generally planted in the streets of the coastal towns.
[FWTA]

Distribution
Biogeografic region: Caribbean. Elevation range: 0–50 m a.s.l. Cultivated in Colombia. Naturalised in Colombia. Colombian departments: Antioquia, Atlántico, Bolívar, Cundinamarca, Huila, La Guajira, Magdalena, San Andrés y Providencia, Sucre.
Habit
Tree.
Conservation
IUCN Red List Assessment (2021): LC.
Ecology
Habitat according IUCN Habitats Classification: forest and woodland, savanna, shrubland, wetlands (inland), artificial - terrestrial.
Vernacular
Algodón de monte, Algodón silvestre, Clemón, Milo
[UPFC]

Malvaceae, A. W. Exell. Flora Zambesiaca 1:2. 1961

Morphology General Habit
Small tree or shrub; branchlets densely lepidote.
Morphology Leaves
Leaf-lamina up to 15 × 12 cm., entire, ovate to broadly ovate, densely lepidote on both surfaces, apex somewhat acuminate, base cordate 7-nerved; petiole up to 9 cm. long, lepidote; stipules 5–7 mm. long, lanceolate to almost subulate.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Flowers up to 8 cm. in diam., yellow; peduncles up to 9 cm. long, not obviously articulated.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Epicalyx
Epicalyx of 3 bracts; bracts 2–7 (11) mm. long, lanceolate-triangular to triangular, very early caducous.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx
Calyx c. 15 × 7 mm., densely lepidote, 5-dentate.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla
Petals 4 × 3·5 cm., obliquely obovate, lepidote outside, glabrous inside.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens
Staminal tube c. 17 mm. long; free parts of filaments 3–5 mm. long.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Fruit up to 25 × 30 mm., depressed-globose, lepidote.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds
Seeds 10 × 6 mm., sericeous-tomentellous, somewhat glabrescent.
[FZ]

Uses

Use Animal Food
Used as animal food.
Use Environmental
Environmental uses.
Use Fuel
Used for fuels.
Use Gene Sources
Used as gene sources.
Use Food
Used for food.
Use Invertebrate Food
Used as invertebrate food.
Use Materials
Used as material.
Use Medicines
Medical uses.
Use Poisons
Poisons.
Use Social
Social uses.
[UPFC]

Sources

  • Angiosperm Extinction Risk Predictions v1

    • Angiosperm Threat Predictions
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0

  • Catálogo de Plantas y Líquenes de Colombia

    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Colombian resources for Plants made Accessible

    • ColPlantA 2021. Published on the Internet at http://colplanta.org
    • https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

  • Flora Zambesiaca

    • Flora Zambesiaca
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Flora of Somalia

    • Flora of Somalia
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Flora of Tropical East Africa

    • Flora of Tropical East Africa
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Flora of West Tropical Africa

    • Flora of West Tropical Africa
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Flora of the Cayman Islands

    • Flora of the Cayman Islands
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Herbarium Catalogue Specimens

    • Digital Image © Board of Trustees, RBG Kew http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

  • IUCN Categories

    • IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Kew Backbone Distributions

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2024. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2023 World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0

  • Kew Names and Taxonomic Backbone

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2024. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2023 International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0

  • Kew Science Photographs

    • Copyright applied to individual images

  • Universidad Nacional de Colombia

    • ColPlantA database
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Useful Plants and Fungi of Colombia

    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0