Bombax ceiba

Scientific Classification

Kingdom: Plantae
Division: Magnoliophyta
Class: Magnolipsida
Order: Malvales
Family: Malvaceae
Genus: Bombax
Species: B.ceiba
Scientific Name: Bombax ceibaL.

Common names
English : Silk Cotton, Red silk cotton tree.
Hindi: Shimbal, Kaantisenbal.
Kannada: Booraga, Kempuburuga.
Marathi: Saanvar, Saanvari.

Discription

1. Habit and Habitat: 10-30m tall, perennial, large-sized, deciduous tree.Hot, dry river valleys, savannah; at elevations below 1,400 meters’ in southern China. Humid lowland deciduous forests Often found near stream banks.
2. Distribution: E. Asia - southern China, Indian subcontinent, Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia, Philippines to Papua New Guinea and Australia.
3. Morphology:
   Leaf: : Compound, digitate, leaflets 2-7, dorsiventral, entire, unicostate reticulate venation, oval or lanceolate, acute at the base, with a sharp point at the apex, petiolate, stipulate (free lateral and caducous), alternate, pentastichous.
   Inflorescence: Solitary or cluster of several extra-axillary flowers. At the time of flowering, the tree becomes almost leafless.
   Flowers: Complete, pedicellate, bract caducous, actinomorphic, bisexual, pentamerous, hypogynous, cyclic, epicalyx absent.Calyx made up of sepals 5, gamosepalous, cup-shaped, persistent, fleshy, leathery, greenish-purple, valvate.Corolla made up of petals 5, polypetalous, scarlet, twisted. Petals fleshy, sessile, entire, oblong, 2-3” long, tomentose and covered with stellate hairs on both sides.
   Androecium: Stamens numerous (about 70), polyadelphous, forming staminal groups or bundles, one staminal bundle around the carpel while 5 bundles towards the periphery alternating with petals.
   Gynoecium: composed of 5 carpals, syncarpous, superior, pentalocular, 2-4 ovules in each locule, axile placentation, style simple, pentangular, glabrous, stigmas 5, scarlet.
   Fruit: An oblong, 4-5” long, loculicidal capsule.
   Flowering and Fruiting time: February-March.
4. Propagation: Through seeds.

5. Importance:
   a.They are highly valued as a curry vegetable. The young roots are diuretic and tonic. The gum is astringent, demulcent and tonic. The flowers are astringent and refrigerant. Roots yield a medicine used in impotency.
   b.Fibers are used in filling cushions.
   c.Wood is used in preparing match boxes and match sticks.

6. Location: Botanical garden, New building area.