Bombax

'' Bombax species are among the largest trees in their regions, reaching 30 to 40 metres in height and up to three metres in trunk diameter. The leaves are compound with entire margins and are deciduous, being shed in the dry-season. They measure 30 to 50 cm across and are palmate in shape with five to nine leaflets. The calyx is deciduous, meaning it does not persist on the fruits. They bear five to ten cm long red flowers between January and March while the tree is still leafless. The stamens are present in bundles in two whorls, while the staminal column lacks lobes. The ovary matures into a husk containing seeds covered by a fibre similar to that of the kapok (Ceiba pentandra) and to cotton, though with shorter fibres than cotton, that does not lend itself to spinning, making it unusable as a textile product. ==Species==

'' Plants of the World Online includes eight species : • Bombax albidum Gagnep. • Bombax anceps Pierre • Bombax blancoanum A.Robyns • Bombax buonopozense P. Beauv. • Bombax cambodiense Pierre • Bombax ceiba L. • Bombax costatum Pellegr. & Vuill. • Bombax insigne Wall. Formerly included species This list may be incomplete. • B. aesculifolium – now Ceiba aesculifolia • B. affine – now Pachira insignis • B. aquaticum – now Pachira aquatica • B. cyathophorum – now Pseudobombax grandiflorum • B. ellipticum – now Pseudobombax ellipticum • B. emarginatum – now Pachira emarginata • B. gossypium – now Cochlospermum religiosum • B. heptaphyllum – now Pseudobombax septenatum • B. mossambicense – now Rhodognaphalon mossambicense • B. orinocense – now Cochlospermum orinocense • B. pentandrum – now Ceiba pentandra • B. pyramidale – now Ochroma pyramidale • B. vitifolium – now Cochlospermum vitifolium ==References==