''Ceiba pentandra'' is a

tropical tree Tropical vegetation is any vegetation in tropical latitudes. Plant life that occurs in climates that are warm year-round is in general more biologically diverse that in other latitudes. Some tropical areas may receive abundant rain the whole ye ...

of the order

Malvales The Malvales are an order of flowering plants. As circumscribed by APG II-system, the order includes about 6000 species within 9 families. The order is placed in the eurosids II, which are part of the eudicots. The plants are mostly shrubs and ...

and the

family Family (from la, familia) is a group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its members and of society. Idea ...

Malvaceae Malvaceae, or the mallows, is a family of flowering plants estimated to contain 244 genera with 4225 known species. Well-known members of economic importance include okra, cotton, cacao and durian. There are also some genera containing familiar ...

(previously emplaced in the family

Bombacaceae Bombacaceae were long recognised as a family of flowering plants or Angiospermae. The family name was based on the type genus ''Bombax''. As is true for many botanical names, circumscription and status of the taxon has varied with taxonomic point ...

), native to Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean, northern South America, and (as the variety ''C. pentandra'' var ''guineensis'') West Africa. A somewhat smaller variety was introduced to South and

Southeast Asia Southeast Asia, also spelled South East Asia and South-East Asia, and also known as Southeastern Asia, South-eastern Asia or SEA, is the geographical south-eastern region of Asia, consisting of the regions that are situated south of mainlan ...

, where it is cultivated. The tree and the cotton-like fluff obtained from its

seed pod This page provides a glossary of plant morphology. Botanists and other biologists who study plant morphology use a number of different terms to classify and identify plant organs and parts that can be observed using no more than a handheld magnify ...

s are commonly known in English as kapok, a Malay-derived name which originally applied to ''

Bombax ceiba ''Bombax ceiba'', like other trees of the genus ''Bombax'', is commonly known as cotton tree. More specifically, it is sometimes known as Malabar silk-cotton tree; red silk-cotton; red cotton tree; or ambiguously as silk-cotton or kapok, both of ...

'', a native of tropical Asia. In Spanish-speaking countries the tree is commonly known as "

ceiba ''Ceiba'' is a genus of trees in the family Malvaceae, native to tropical and subtropical areas of the Americas (from Mexico and the Caribbean to N Argentina) and tropical West Africa. Some species can grow to tall or more, with a straight, la ...

" and in French-speaking countries as

fromager Fromager Region is a defunct region of Ivory Coast. From 2000 to 2011, it was a first-level subdivision region. The region's capital was Gagnoa and its area was 6,903 km2. Since 2011, the area formerly encompassed by the region is the second ...

. The tree is cultivated for its

cotton Cotton is a soft, fluffy staple fiber that grows in a boll, or protective case, around the seeds of the cotton plants of the genus '' Gossypium'' in the mallow family Malvaceae. The fiber is almost pure cellulose, and can contain minor pe ...

like seed fibre, particularly in south-east Asia, and is also known as the

Java Java (; id, Jawa, ; jv, ꦗꦮ; su, ) is one of the Greater Sunda Islands in Indonesia. It is bordered by the Indian Ocean to the south and the Java Sea to the north. With a population of 151.6 million people, Java is the world's mos ...

cotton, Java kapok, silk-cotton or samauma.

Characteristics

The tree grows to as confirmed by climbing and tape drop with reports of Kapoks up to . These very large trees are in the

Neotropics The Neotropical realm is one of the eight biogeographic realms constituting Earth's land surface. Physically, it includes the tropical terrestrial ecoregions of the Americas and the entire South American temperate zone. Definition In bioge ...

or tropical

Africa Africa is the world's second-largest and second-most populous continent, after Asia in both cases. At about 30.3 million km2 (11.7 million square miles) including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of Earth's total surface area ...

. The Southeast Asian form of C. pentandra only reaches ninety feet (27 meters). Trunks can often be up to in diameter above the extensive

buttress root Buttress roots also known as plank roots are large, wide roots on all sides of a shallowly rooted tree. Typically, they are found in nutrient-poor tropical forest soils that may not be very deep. They prevent the tree from falling over (hence t ...

s. The very largest individuals, however, can be thick or more above the buttresses. The buttress roots can be clearly seen in photographs extending up the trunk of some specimens and extending out from the trunk as much as and then continuing below ground to a total length of The trunk and many of the larger branches are often crowded with large simple

thorns Thorn(s) or The Thorn(s) may refer to: Botany * Thorns, spines, and prickles, sharp structures on plants * ''Crataegus monogyna'', or common hawthorn, a plant species Comics and literature * Rose and Thorn, the two personalities of two DC Com ...

. These major branches, usually 4 to 6 in number, can be up to thick and form a crown of foliage as much as in width. The palmate leaves are composed of 5 to 9 leaflets, each up to long. The trees produce several hundred pods containing seeds surrounded by a fluffy, yellowish fibre that is a mix of lignin and

cellulose Cellulose is an organic compound with the formula , a polysaccharide consisting of a linear chain of several hundred to many thousands of β(1→4) linked D-glucose units. Cellulose is an important structural component of the primary cell w ...

. The referenced reports make it clear that ''C. pentandra'' is among the largest trees in the world.

Uses

The commercial tree is most heavily cultivated in the rainforests of Asia, notably in

(hence one of its common names), the Philippines, Malaysia, and

Hainan Island Hainan (, ; ) is the smallest and southernmost province of the People's Republic of China (PRC), consisting of various islands in the South China Sea. , the largest and most populous island in China,The island of Taiwan, which is slightly ...

in China, as well as in South America. The flowers are an important source of nectar and pollen for

honey bee A honey bee (also spelled honeybee) is a eusocial flying insect within the genus ''Apis'' of the bee clade, all native to Afro-Eurasia. After bees spread naturally throughout Africa and Eurasia, humans became responsible for the current cosm ...

s and

bats Bats are mammals of the order Chiroptera.''cheir'', "hand" and πτερόν''pteron'', "wing". With their forelimbs adapted as wings, they are the only mammals capable of true and sustained flight. Bats are more agile in flight than most bir ...

. Bats are the primary pollinators of the night-blooming flowers. Native tribes along the Amazon River harvest the fibre to wrap around their

blowgun A blowgun (also called a blowpipe or blow tube) is a simple ranged weapon consisting of a long narrow tube for shooting light projectiles such as darts. It operates by having the projectile placed inside the pipe and using the force created ...

darts. The fibres create a seal that allows the pressure to force the dart through the tube. The fiber is light, very

buoyant Buoyancy (), or upthrust, is an upward force exerted by a fluid that opposes the weight of a partially or fully immersed object. In a column of fluid, pressure increases with depth as a result of the weight of the overlying fluid. Thus the pr ...

, resilient, resistant to water, but very flammable. The process of harvesting and separating the fiber is labor-intensive and menial. It is difficult to spin, but is used as an alternative to down as filling in mattresses, pillows, upholstery,

zafu A ''zafu'' ( ja, 座蒲, ) or ''putuan'' (, pronounced ) is a round cushion. Although also a utilitarian accessory, it is best known for its use in zazen Zen meditation. Name Although ''zafu'' is often translated as "sewn seat" in American En ...

s, and stuffed toys such as teddy bears, and for

insulation Insulation may refer to: Thermal * Thermal insulation, use of materials to reduce rates of heat transfer ** List of insulation materials ** Building insulation, thermal insulation added to buildings for comfort and energy efficiency *** Insulated ...

. It was previously much used in life jackets and similar devices until synthetic materials largely replaced the fiber. The seeds produce an oil that is used locally in soap and can be used as fertilizer.

Traditional medicinal uses

''Ceiba pentandra'' bark

decoction Decoction is a method of extraction by boiling herbal or plant material (which may include stems, roots, bark and rhizomes) to dissolve the chemicals of the material. It is the most common preparation method in various herbal-medicine systems. Dec ...

has been used as a

diuretic A diuretic () is any substance that promotes diuresis, the increased production of urine. This includes forced diuresis. A diuretic tablet is sometimes colloquially called a water tablet. There are several categories of diuretics. All diuretics i ...

, as an

aphrodisiac An aphrodisiac is a substance that increases sexual desire, sexual attraction, sexual pleasure, or sexual behavior. Substances range from a variety of plants, spices, foods, and synthetic chemicals. Natural aphrodisiacs like cannabis or cocai ...

, and to treat headache, as well as

type II diabetes Type 2 diabetes, formerly known as adult-onset diabetes, is a form of diabetes mellitus that is characterized by high blood sugar, insulin resistance, and relative lack of insulin. Common symptoms include increased thirst, frequent urinatio ...

. It is used as an additive in some versions of the psychedelic drink

Ayahuasca AyahuascaPronounced as in the UK and in the US. Also occasionally known in English as ''ayaguasca'' ( Spanish-derived), ''aioasca'' (Brazilian Portuguese-derived), or as ''yagé'', pronounced or . Etymologically, all forms but ''yagé'' desce ...

Seed oil

vegetable oil Vegetable oils, or vegetable fats, are oils extracted from seeds or from other parts of fruits. Like animal fats, vegetable fats are ''mixtures'' of triglycerides. Soybean oil, grape seed oil, and cocoa butter are examples of seed oils, or f ...

can be pressed from the seeds. The oil has a yellow colour and a pleasant, mild odour and taste, resembling

cottonseed oil Cottonseed oil is cooking oil from the seeds of cotton plants of various species, mainly '' Gossypium hirsutum'' and ''Gossypium herbaceum'', that are grown for cotton fiber, animal feed, and oil. Cotton seed has a similar structure to other oi ...

. It becomes rancid quickly when exposed to air. Kapok oil is produced in India, Indonesia and Malaysia. It has an

iodine value In chemistry, the iodine value (IV; also iodine adsorption value, iodine number or iodine index) is the mass of iodine in grams that is consumed by 100 grams of a chemical substance. Iodine numbers are often used to determine the degree of ...

of 85–100; this makes it a nondrying oil, which means that it does not dry out significantly when exposed to air. The oil has some potential as a biofuel and in paint preparation.

Religion and folklore

The tree is a sacred symbol in

Maya mythology Maya or Mayan mythology is part of Mesoamerican mythology and comprises all of the Maya tales in which personified forces of nature, deities, and the heroes interacting with these play the main roles. The myths of the era have to be reconstruct ...

. Sacred tree in

Palo Palo may refer to: Places * Palo, Argentina, a village in Argentina * Palo, Estonia, village in Meremäe Parish, Võru County, Estonia * Palo, Huesca, municipality in the province of Huesca, Spain * Palo, Iowa, United States, a town located wit ...

Arará The Arará people form an Afro-Cuban ethnoreligious group descended from the Dahomey kingdom of West Africa, and retaining an identity, religion, and culture separate from those of other Afro-Cuban peoples. Although, historically, the Arará peopl ...

and Santería. According to the folklore of Trinidad and Tobago, the Castle of the Devil is a huge ''C. pentandra'' growing deep in the forest in which Bazil the demon of death was imprisoned by a carpenter. The carpenter tricked the devil into entering the tree in which he carved seven rooms, one above the other, into the trunk. Folklore claims that Bazil still resides in that tree. Most masks coming from Burkina Faso, especially those of Bobo and Mossi people, are carved from ''C. pentandra'' timber.

Symbolism

''Ceiba pentandra'' is the

national emblem A national emblem is an emblem or seal that is reserved for use by a nation state or multi-national state as a symbol of that nation. Many nations have a seal or emblem in addition to a national flag A national flag is a flag that represents ...

of Guatemala, Puerto Rico, and Equatorial Guinea. It appears on the

coat of arms A coat of arms is a heraldic visual design on an escutcheon (i.e., shield), surcoat, or tabard (the latter two being outer garments). The coat of arms on an escutcheon forms the central element of the full heraldic achievement, which in its ...

and

flag of Equatorial Guinea The flag of Equatorial Guinea ( es, Bandera de Guinea Ecuatorial; french: Drapeau de la Guinée équatoriale; pt, Bandeira da Guiné Equatorial) was adopted on August 21, 1979. The six stars on the map represent the country's mainland and fiv ...

. The Cotton Tree is a landmark in downtown

Freetown Freetown is the capital and largest city of Sierra Leone. It is a major port city on the Atlantic Ocean and is located in the Western Area of the country. Freetown is Sierra Leone's major urban, economic, financial, cultural, educational and po ...

, Sierra Leone, and is considered a symbol of freedom for the slaves that immigrated there. Saigon, one of a number of older names for Ho Chi Minh City, may be derived from ''Sài'' ( Sino-Vietnamese "palisade" etc.) and the

Vietnamese Vietnamese may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to Vietnam, a country in Southeast Asia ** A citizen of Vietnam. See Demographics of Vietnam. * Vietnamese people, or Kinh people, a Southeast Asian ethnic group native to Vietnam ** Overse ...

name for the Kapok tree ''(bông) gòn'', although, in this instance, the tree intended may well be, not the

New World The term ''New World'' is often used to mean the majority of Earth's Western Hemisphere, specifically the Americas."America." ''The Oxford Companion to the English Language'' (). McArthur, Tom, ed., 1992. New York: Oxford University Press, p. ...

''Ceiba pentandra'', but the Old World ''

''.

Gallery

File:Kapok flowers I IMG 2377.jpg, Flowers in profile File:Ceiba pentandra (324596620).jpg, Flowers front view File:Ceiba pentandra (L.) Gaertn. (9327946214).jpg, Underside of single leaf File:Kapok Fruit I IMG 3839.jpg, Fruit close-up File:Ceiba pentandra - Jardim Botânico da Madeira 02.jpg, Single dehiscent fruit revealing kapok-surrounded seeds File:Kapok seeds I IMG 8004.jpg, Seeds visible within fibres of dehisced fruit with shrivelled valves File:Ceiba pentandra fruit in hg.jpg, Dehisced fruit having shed shrivelled valves File:Kapok (Ceiba pentandra) 2.jpg, Close-up of seeds in kapok File:Ceiba pentandra (L.) Gaertn. Kapok Tree Malvaceae (19044815179).jpg, Bark and sucker with single ripe pod File:Starr-040812-0026-Ceiba pentandra-thorns-Kauhikoa hill-Maui (24622006711).jpg, Detail of thorns File:Ceiba pentandra L. Gaertn.jpg, Canopy File:Louise van Panhuys, kankantriboom, in de verte bananenbomen, 1813.jpg, Watercolour of colossal specimen, Suriname, also by Louise van Panhuys

References

External links

Kapok Fibers

Seed Fibers

Germplasm Resources Information Network: ''Ceiba pentandra''

Ceiba pentandra
in Brunken, U., Schmidt, M., Dressler, S., Janssen, T., Thombiano, A. & Zizka, G. 2008. West African plants – A Photo Guide. Forschungsinstitut Senckenberg, Frankfurt/Main. {{Taxonbar, from=Q138617 pentandra Crops originating from the Americas Fiber plants National symbols of Equatorial Guinea National symbols of Guatemala National symbols of Puerto Rico Plants described in 1791 Taxa named by Carl Linnaeus Trees of Africa Trees of Mexico Trees of South America