Ceiba

About 10-20 species, including:

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Ceiba aesculifolia

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Ceiba glaziovii

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Ceiba insignis

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Ceiba pentandra

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Ceiba speciosa

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Ceiba trichistandra

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Ceiba is the name of a genus of many species of large trees found in tropical areas, including Central and South America, The Bahamas,the Caribbean, West Africa, and Southeast Asia. Some species can grow to 70 meters tall or more, with a straight, largely branchless trunk that culminates in a huge, spreading canopy, and "buttress" roots that can be taller than a grown man. The best-known, and most widely cultivated, species is Kapok, Ceiba pentandra.

Related Topics:
Tree - Central - South America - The Bahamas - Caribbean - West Africa - Southeast Asia - Kapok

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Recent botanical opinion incorporates Chorisia within Ceiba, raising to number of species from the previously accepted figure of 10 to as many as 20 or more, and putting the genus as a whole within the family Malvaceae.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The tree is central to Mayan mythology, in which it is said to hold up the sky.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Ceiba should not be confused with the vernacular name ceibo (Erythrina crista-galli), the national tree of Argentina, Uruguay and Guatemala.

Related Topics:
Erythrina crista-galli - National tree - Argentina - Uruguay - Guatemala

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~