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Glite Dictionary
Sterculia foetida

Sterculia foetida

9.9
A large tree from warm countries with smelly orange-red flowers and red pods with oily edible seeds
  • noun
  • Specialized
translation icon : Sterculia foetida
  • The Sterculia foetida produces a strong odor when its orange-red blossoms bloom in the tropics.

Examples

  • Seeds from the Sterculia foetida are sometimes roasted and eaten as a local delicacy.

  • Botanists studied the Sterculia foetida for its unusual flowers and oil-rich seeds.

  • The Sterculia foetida tree is known for its unique flowers.

  • Many people find the smell of Sterculia foetida quite unpleasant.

  • The Sterculia foetida is often planted in tropical gardens for its striking orange-red flowers and unique seed pods.

  • Farmers in some regions collect the seeds of the Sterculia foetida to sell them as a nutritious snack.

  • During the rainy season, the Sterculia foetida releases a strong, unpleasant odor from its blossoms.

Synonyms

kalumpang
vsSterculia foetida
  • Philippine
9.9

A large tropical tree with smelly orange-red flowers and oily seeds in red pods that people eat

is the formal scientific name rather than a regional common name
Java olives
vsSterculia foetida
9.9

A large tropical tree with red flowers and seed pods whose seeds people press for oil and sometimes eat

is the formal scientific name rather than a vernacular name

Surface Forms

Sterculia foetida singular
Sterculia foetidas plural

Morphology

Sterculia + foetida

The name is a straightforward binomial: Sterculia (a genus of tropical trees) + foetida (Latin adjective meaning ‘fetid’ or ‘foul-smelling’, cognate with English fetid). A learner who knows both constituents can directly infer this refers to a Sterculia species characterized by a bad smell, so the meaning is compositional and transparent.

Etymology

Sterculia foetida: The plant name Sterculia foetida comes from old Latin words that point to its strong smell. The first part, Sterculia, comes from Sterculius, a Roman god linked with dung, and the second part, foetida, means 'stinking', so the name warns about the tree's foul-smelling flowers and pods.