Interactive Botanical tour
Point no.13
Species: Ceiba pentandra (L.) Gaertn.
Ceiba pentandra commonly known as Kapok Tree is from the Bombacacea family, is native to Caribbean, Mexico, Northern Southern America, and West Africa 4. This individual was bought from the Malanseuns nursery in 1987.
Figure 1:The Kapok tree raylene93,inaturalist.
History
The introduction of the Ceiba species in east Africa and Asia was because of the variety of products that can be acquired from these species. These are also considered as ornamental plants in the northern hemisphere, grown in gardens and having a collection of herbaria1 . There has been some doubts historically about whether the origination of the genus Ceiba was in West Africa or the Neotropics, and also some people insisted that this genus has an Asian origin when tracking back to its historical uses.
The uncertainty in the origin of the genus Ceiba is influenced by the natural distribution of Ceiba pentandra in Africa as well as America given the fossil records of pollen grains collected 13, 000 years ago in Ghana. This provided evidence that this species occurred way before any of its distributions which was facilitated by humans.
A phylogenetic analysis conducted on 14 Ceiba species in the Neotropics supported the species’ long-distance dispersion arising from the Neotropics to Africa, thus leading to a clade of Neotropical origin emerging 21 million years ago and Ceiba pentandra occurring 12.7 million years ago. All these findings support the migration of Ceiba pentandra to west Africa. The successful establishment of Ceiba pentandra in west Africa could have been due to its ability to grow rapidly and having a self-compatible mating system.
Ceiba pentandra is one of the greatest tropical trees which has shown complex biological interactions and interconnectedness between humans and the environment2. It was believed that the Ceiba tree acted as the central connection between the terrestrial world and the spirit realm by the primitive Central America Maya. This connection came from the long thick vines of the tree which hang down to the ground to enable the ascending of souls towards the tree.
Temple pillars were shaped like the stem and thorns of Ceiba pentandra of the Mayan people because of how sacred the Kapok tree was to them. It was also believed that the stems and thorns shielded the tree from Ice Age megafauna in South America, which went extinct as hunters occupied the habitat 13 000 years ago.
Figure 2: spikes of the Kapok tree, Ana Gatica Colima, iNturalist.
Characteristics
It is a diecious tree that is multi-purpose with a wide range of uses in the local community and stretches high above most trees that are around it. It has an ornamental appearance with a striking canopy. The tree grows to 240 ft, its trunks can get about 10 ft in diameter. Has wide spreading buttress roots that grow to long lengths. The large branches and trunks are often crowded by thorns 5. The branches form a pagoda-shaped crown. Has palmate compound leaves with 5-9 leaflets which are 20 cm long, all leaflets extend outward from a single point at the base of the leaf.
Before the appearance of leaves, creamy white to pink flowers bloom in clusters. These flowers have bell-shaped calyces with five shallow lobes, five stamens fused into a tube, petals which are oblong to spatulate and pubescent. The flowers are pungent-smelling and attract bats which help with the pollination of the flowers which bloom at night. The fruits contain about 200 tiny seeds embedded in the cotton-like kapok. 4000 fruits are produced by each tree in each season. The seeds produced by the fruit are dispersed by the wind.
Figure 3: Flowers produced by the tree, Marco Celis Saavedra,iNaturalist.
Uses
The fluffy cotton-like seed pod of the Kapok tree proved a fire source for stuffing pillows, insulation, and cushions. Ceiba pentandra has both herbal and medicinal uses. In traditional uses compressed fresh leaves are used to relieve dizziness. Used to treat oedema when the roots are boiled and the essence extraction is used. The shoots used to make contraceptives. The gum produced by the tree is used to help relieve upset stomachs. Leaf infusions are used to treat coughs. Ash from the fruits are used to make snuff. The seed can be used to make soap and fertiliser4.
Figure 4:cotton-like seed pods produced by the tree. grinnin, INATURALIST.
The wood used in plywood manufacturing and also making boxes and crates. The bark and leaves are used in the treatment of bronchial congestion. Kapok is an astringent, diuretic herb that helps to lower fever, controls bleeding and relaxes spasms. The bark of Ceiba pentandra has been used to treat type ll diabetes 4.
Text prepared by: Gcina Masimula , Keletso Mafane, 2022 BOT 366 class
References
[1]Guillot, D.; Laguna, E.; Puche, C.; Meer, P. Ceiba speciosa ‘Valencian Beauty’. Bouteloua 2016, 23, 3–13.
[2] Janzen,D.H.1983. Costa Rican Natural History. The University of Chicago Press.
[3] Zeven, A.C. Kapok tree, Ceiba pentandra Gaertn. In Outlines of Perennial Crop Breeding in the Tropics; Ferwerda, F.P., Wit, F., Eds.;
Landbouwhogeschool: Wageningen, The Netherlands, 1969; pp. 269–287.
[4] Tropical Plants Database, Ken Fern. tropical.theferns.info. 2022-11-04
[5] Heuzé V., Tran G., 2019. Kapok (Ceiba pentandra). Feedipedia, a programme by INRAE, CIRAD, AFZ and FAO. https://www.feedipedia.org/node/48
Images
raylene93,inaturalist: https://www.inaturalist.org/photos/305241721
Ana Gatica Colima, iNturalist: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/176224435
Marco Celis Saavedra,iNaturalist: https://www.inaturalist.org/photos/292185413
grinnin, INATURALIST: https://www.inaturalist.org/photos/262059820
Copyright © University of Pretoria 2025. All rights reserved.
Virtual Campus
Get Social With Us
Download the UP Mobile App