Ceiba
Ceiba is a plant genus in the subfamily of the silk-cotton tree crops ( Bombacoideae ) from the mallow family ( Malvaceae ). Your botanical name is thought to Haitian origin ( " iba " = tree).
Description
Ceiba species grow as trees that reach heights of growth of 2 to 50 meters and form large, spreading crowns. The stems are often succulent swollen and covered with spines, but also within most species are strong and hardly swollen stems with many or few spines before. In some species also have spines on the branches. The leaves are elliptical to lanceolate leaves fingered in part usually five to seven ( rarely three ), which can be up to 15 cm long.
The large, showy flowers appear singly or in small racemose inflorescences. The most five, oblong to linealischen petals are sometimes held in a funnel shape, but usually splayed. Their color is of crucial importance in determining the kind, the stamens are fused to the ovary to two long, one inside the other tubes. The Stäubfäden of the inner ring are fertile, that of the outer ring and thus sterile staminodes. Pollination is by animals ( Zoogamie ). So depending on the type of butterflies, moths, hummingbirds and bats serve as pollen carriers.
The large, pear-shaped fruit capsules containing many seeds. The spherical to kidney-shaped, brown to black seeds are 5-10 mm in size and with tufts of hairs flight for their dissemination by the wind provided ( Anemochorie ).
Systematics and distribution
In the literature it is often still belonging to the genus of the plant family of the silk-cotton tree crops ( Bombacaceae ) stated, but is considered the subfamily Bombacoideae the mallow ( Malvaceae ) is now considered.
All species are native to tropical America, only the kapok tree ( Ceiba pentandra ) also comes in West Africa before, of course. It is often cultivated in other tropical areas, especially in Asia, where it is often neglected.
Sections
The genus is divided into two sections: Section Ceiba: The staminodes have vessels on. The pollen is globose to flattened globose. Section Campylanthera (Schott & Endl. ) K.Schum. The staminodes have no vessels. The pollen are significantly flattened spherical and polar ice caps have raised.
Species
The genus consists of 17 species, including those of the former genus Chorisia Kunth. :
- Ceiba aesculifolia ( Kunth ) Britten & Baker f: The Throwing in some foliage forests of northern Mexico to Central America growing, about 8 to 10 m tall trees have spiny stems. The widely recurved petals are white / mottled green: Ceiba aesculifolia subsp. aesculifolia: The large-leaved subspecies grows in dry valleys and hills from all over Mexico to Belize and Guatemala.
- Ceiba aesculifolia subsp. parvifolia (Rose) PEGibbs & Semir: The small-leaved subspecies grows (apparently only in Morelos, Puebla and Oaxaca ) in dry valleys of Mexico.
Use
The kapok tree is grown for the fiber obtained from the seed hair. Because of its imposing appearance Ceiba insignis is planted in frost-free climates in parks and gardens around the world. Most under its old name ( Syn ) Chorisia insignis Kunth it is sometimes seen in collections of succulent plants.
Symbolism
Probably as a result of their powerful branchless trunk which forms a crown until well above the Ceiba was revered by the Maya - in their faith and imagination they formed the axis of the world, the sky, earth and underworld ( xibalba or mitaal ) joined together.