Thespesia populnea
| Portia tree | |
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| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| (unranked): | Angiosperms |
| (unranked): | Eudicots |
| (unranked): | Rosids |
| Order: | Malvales |
| Family: | Malvaceae |
| Genus: | Thespesia |
| Species: | T. populnea |
| Binomial name | |
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Thespesia populnea (L.) Sol. ex Corrêa |
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| Synonyms | |
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Thespesia populnea, commonly known as the Portia tree/ˈpɔərʃə/, is species of flowering plant in the mallow family, Malvaceae. It is a small tree or arborescent shrub that has a pantropical distribution, found on coasts around the world. However, the Portia tree is probably native only to the Old World, and may have originated in India. Its name is different in different languages in India. Nowadays, its wood is mainly used in making furniture because of its good ability to undergo carving. The wood from the tree was used by early Tamil people to make instruments in ancient Tamilakam. It is possibly indigenous to the Hawaiian Islands and elsewhere in the Pacific, but may have been spread by early Polynesians for its useful wood and bast fibres. The Portia tree reaches a height of 6–10 m (20–33 ft) tall and a trunk diameter of 20–30 cm (7.9–11.8 in). It grows at elevations from sea level to 275 m (902 ft) in areas that receive 500–1,600 mm (20–63 in) of annual rainfall. The Portia tree is able to grow in the wide range of soil types that may be present in coastal environments, including soils derived from quartz (sand), limestone, and basalt; it favours neutral soils (pH of 6–7.4).
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