Plant Family: Belongs to the Sterculiaceae or Cacao family, which includes Cocoa (Theobroma cacao), Cola Nut (Cola acuminata) and Mahaut Doux (Sterculia caribaea), also referred to as Mahaut Cochon, a dominant tree in the Dominican rainforest.

Description: Tall, erect trees, up to 30 m (100 ft), bark gray; before 1979’s Hurricane David took it down, this was tallest tree in Gardens; had erect, buttressed stem where little children played “hide and seek”; now replaced by young specimen in same location - close to road west of Forestry office; leaves 3-lobed and glabrous, up to 30 cm wide (12 in); fruit globular, light brown, with tough, woody shell, about 10 cm across (4 in); seeds numerous, large, each with long, wide wing; dry, ripe fruit split open, releasing winged seeds from cup-like shell; seeds flat, square-to-oblong, about 2 cm (0.8 in) without wing, wing about 4-6 cm long (1.6-2.3 in); fruiting in dry season (February-March).

Natural Habitat: Moist, deciduous forest.

Origin and Distribution: Native to India, and found variously in S.E. Asia.

Uses: In India, seeds eaten, and plant used medicinally.

Indigenous Legends: Common name in India is Buddha Coconut.

References:
Robert A. DeFilipps. Useful Plants of the Commonwealth of Dominica, West Indies. Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C. 1998
Plants of India. Ashoka Trust Research in Ecology and Environment, Bangalore, India n.d. (plantsindia.org)
Anon. [Joseph Jones?] Official Guide to the Botanic Gardens, Dominica. Kew Gardens, London, 1924?
Dominica Forestry & Wildlife Division. Dominica's Botanic Gardens: A Guide to Selected Trees and Shrubs, Ministry of Agriculture, Dominica 1988
Jack Charest and Penny N. Honychurch. A General Guide to the Botanic Gardens of Dominica. Ministry of Agriculture, Dominica 1977.