Ceiba pentandra (L.) Gaertn.

M. Thulin et al. Flora of Somalia, Vol. 1-4 [updated 2008] https://plants.jstor.org/collection/FLOS

Morphology General Habit

Tall tree with straight trunk and ± horizontal main branches; bark smooth, usually with scattered conical spines to 1.5 cm long; young branches glabrous or pubescent

Morphology Leaves

Leaves 5–9-foliolate; leaflets narrowly elliptic-obovate, entire, acuminate, 7–20 x 1.8–6.5 cm, glabrous; petiole 5.5–25 cm long, at the apex expanded into an almost circular disk

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Flowers often on leafless branches or present when the whole tree is leafless, in 1–15-flowered axillary clusters

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Calyx 9–15 mm long, lobed, glabrous outside, pubescent inside

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Petals pink or white, oblong, 2–3.5 cm long

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens Filaments

Filament-tube 5–9 mm long; anthers coiled or reniform

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Ovary

Ovary glabrous or nearly so; style 2.5–3.3 cm long

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Capsule ± woody, smooth, brown, oblong-ellipsoid, up to c. 26 x 11 cm

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds subglobose, c. 6 mm across.

Distribution

S1–3; native in America and probably parts of Africa and SE Asia.

Vernacular

Geed suuf (Somali); kapok.

Bombacaceae, Hutchinson and Dalziel. Flora of West Tropical Africa 1:2. 1958

Morphology General Habit

A tree, up to 200 ft. high, in forest and planted by villages

Morphology Trunk

Trunk with large buttresses

Morphology Branches

Branches in different forms without prickles or with obtuse or acutely pointed stout prickles, generally prickly in the young state

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Flowers white, appearing either when the whole tree is bare or on leafless branches

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Fruits in some forms bursting on the tree, in others often falling

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Floss white or grey.

Bombacaceae, H. Wild. Flora Zambesiaca 1:2. 1961

Morphology General Habit

Tree up to 18 m. tall (often much taller outside our area) with horizontally branched crown and very straight trunk; bark pale grey, smooth, with scattered conical spines 1–1·5 cm. long, at least when young.

Morphology Leaves

Leaves 5–9-foliolate (usually 7, very rarely more than 9); petiole up to c. 15 cm. long, glabrous; leaflet-lamina articulated to a ± suborbicular disk at the apex of the petiole, up to 16 × 6·5 cm., narrowly elliptic or oblanceolate-elliptic, acuminate at the apex, cuneate at the base, margin undulate or rarely obscurely toothed near the apex, slightly paler below, glabrous on both sides, with 7–10 pairs of nerves slightly raised above, scarcely raised below, looping within the margin; petiolules up to 0·8 cm. long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Flowers in axillary fascicles of 1–3; peduncle 2–3 cm. long, glabrous.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Calyx c. 1·5 × 1·2 cm., campanulate, lobed i- of the way down with rounded lobes, glabrous outside, pubescent within.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Petals rose-coloured or white, c. 3·5 × 0·7 cm., oblong-spathulate, rounded at the apex, tomentose outside, glabrous within.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens

Staminal tube c. 5 mm. long; phalanges of 2–3 filaments c. 2 cm. long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Pistil

Ovary glabrous or nearly so; style c. 3·3 cm. long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Capsule c. 8–20 × 4–11 cm., oblong-ellipsoid, valves smooth, brown, the whole filled with a copious whitish silky wool.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds many, c. 6 mm. in diam., dark brown, subglobose.

The Useful Plants of Boyacá project

Ecology

Alt. 0 - 2000 m.

Distribution

Native and cultivated in Colombia.

Conservation

Not Evaluated.

Morphology General Habit

Tree.

Bombacaceae, H. Beentje (East African Herbarium). Flora of Tropical East Africa. 1989

Morphology General Habit

Tree to 35(-50) m., with very straight trunk; main branches at right-angles to the trunk; crown layered in young trees; bole buttressed; bark smooth, in Flora area usually with scattered conical spines 1-1.5 cm. long.

Morphology Branches

Young branches glabrous or pubescent; older branches often spiny.

Morphology Leaves

Leaves 5-9-foliolate; stipules quickly caducous, leaving a large scar; petiole 5.5-25 cm. long, glabrous or sparsely pubescent in young leaves, pulvinate at the base, at the apex expanded into an almost circular disk; leaflets narrowly elliptic or narrowly obovate, 7-20 cm. long, 1.8-6.5 cm. wide, acuminate at the apex, cuneate at the base, undulate at the margin, or rarely obscurely toothed near the apex in young leaves, glabrous; secondary veins in 14-20 pairs; petiolules 1-10 mm. long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Flowers often on leafless branches, or sometimes present when the whole tree is leafless; inflorescence axillary, fasciculate, 1-15-flowered; pedicels 1.8-4.4 cm. long, glabrous, with scars of the caducous bracteoles.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Calyx campanulate, 9-15 mm. long, 11-14 mm. wide, lobed for about one-fifth of its length, the lobes rounded or subacute, glabrous outside and pubescent inside.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Petals pink or white, oblong to spathulate, 2-3.5 cm. long, 0.7-1.5 cm. wide, apex rounded or subacute, tomentose outside and glabrous inside.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens

Filament-tube 5-9 mm. long, the 5 bundles 15-35 mm. long; anthers coiled or reniform, 3-5 mm. across.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Pistil

Ovary semi-inferior, 3-5 mm. high, 3-6 mm. across, glabrous or nearly so; style 25-33 mm. long, glabrous.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Capsule at least somewhat woody, loculicidal, smooth-valved, brown, oblong-ellipsoid, 8-26(-60 according to Fl. Cameroun) cm. long, 4-11 cm. across, with a persistent calyx.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds many, subglobose, ± 6 mm. across, dark brown, embedded in copious white or greyish silky wool.

Figures

Fig. 4.

Habitat

Closed moist forest, also riverine or lacustrine; 840-1200 m.

Distribution

T1 U2 tropical America, Africa (see note) and SE. Asiaalso widely cultivated

Bernal, R., G. Galeano, A. Rodríguez, H. Sarmiento y M. Gutiérrez. 2017. Nombres Comunes de las Plantas de Colombia. http://www.biovirtual.unal.edu.co/nombrescomunes/

Vernacular

bonga, bonga bruja, bongo, ceiba, ceiba blanca, ceiba bonga, ceiba bongo, ceiba bruja, ceiba Cartagena, ceiba colorada, ceiba de agua, ceibaebruja, ceibo, ceibo macho, lano, lupuna

Bernal, R., Gradstein, S.R. & Celis, M. (eds.). 2015. Catálogo de plantas y líquenes de Colombia. Instituto de Ciencias Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Bogotá. http://catalogoplantasdecolombia.unal.edu.co

Distribution

Nativa y cultivada en Colombia; Alt. 0 - 2000 m.; Amazonia, Andes, Guayana y Serranía de La Macarena, Islas Caribeñas, Llanura del Caribe, Orinoquia, Pacífico, Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, Valle del Cauca, Valle del Magdalena.

Morphology General Habit

Árbol

Conservation

No Evaluada

IUCN Red List of Threatened Species https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/61782438/61782442

Conservation

LC - least concern

Use

Cultivated for its kapok (the hairs of the carpel walls, used in stuffing mattresses etc.)

Use Animal Food

Eaten by animals (Carvajal et al. 2014).

Use Environmental Ornamentals

Live plant (in situ) - Ornamental (Carvajal et al. 2014).

Use Materials Wood

Used for planks (Carvajal et al. 2014). Used for furniture (López-Camacho et al 2016).

Use Materials Unspecified Materials Chemicals

Materials (State of the World's Plants 2016).

Use Medicines Unspecified Medicinal Disorders

Medicinal (Instituto Humboldt 2014).