What is "sterculioideae"

Sterculioideae is a subfamily of the Malvaceae family containing evergreen and deciduous trees and shrubs.

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 Africa and Asia.
• Brachychiton clade of Australasian and New Caledonian species, including Brachychiton, Acropogon, Argyrodendron and Franciscodendron.