- Source: Sterculioideae
Sterculioideae is a subfamily of the family Malvaceae containing evergreen and deciduous tree and shrub genera, that were previously placed in the obsolete family Sterculiaceae.
Taxonomy
A 2006 molecular study indicated the Sterculioideae was most likely to be a monophyletic group, and that it had four major clades within it. However, the relationships between the clades were not resolved.
The clades consist of:
a Cola clade, with the genera Cola and Octolobus of Africa and Pterygota of Africa, South America and southeast Asia forming a subclade, Hildegardia and Firmiana forming a second and Scaphium and Pterocymbium a third.
Heritiera clade comprising the genus Heritiera
Sterculia clade comprising the large genus Sterculia of Australasia and Asia.
Brachychiton clade of Australasian and New Caledonian species, including Brachychiton, Acropogon, Argyrodendron and Franciscodendron.
= List of genera
=Acropogon Schltr.
Argyrodendron F.Muell.
Brachychiton Schott & Endl.
Cola Schott & Endl.
Firmiana Marsili
Franciscodendron B.Hyland & Steenis
Heritiera Aiton
Hildegardia Schott & Endl.
Octolobus Welw.
Pterocymbium R.Br.
Pterygota Schott & Endl.
Scaphium Schott & Endl.
Sterculia L.
†Florissantia (Knowlton) Manchester