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Kapok tree
Ceiba pentandra
26.1767, -98.3662
Field Notes
Description:
The bark of this young tree was green and loaded with sharp spikes. Maybe 30 ft tall and a 10 in dia. These trees can grow to very large with reports of Kapoks up to 252 feet (77 meters). I was fortunate to see its only flower that was high up in the tree (pic 5).
Habitat:
Spotted at the National Butterfly Center. Native to Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean, northern South America, and (as the variety C. pentandra var. guineensis) to tropical west Africa. A somewhat smaller variety is found throughout southern Asia and the East Indies.
Notes:
Ceiba pentandra bark decoction has been used as a diuretic, aphrodisiac, and to treat headache, as well as type II diabetes. It is used as an additive in some versions of the psychedelic drink Ayahuasca.
Reference Links:
Ceiba pentandra - Wikipedia
Species ID Suggestions
Spotted for Missions
Photographed
PublishedOctober 12, 2019
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