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cochlospermum
Scientific Name: Cochlospermum
Family: Bixaceae
Category: Dicot
Growth:
Duration:
Other Names:
Cochlospermum: An Overview
Cochlospermum is a genus of trees belonging to the Cochlospermaceae family, though many classifications place it in the Bixaceae family. These trees are native to tropical regions.
Considerations for Pets and Children
- Several species of Cochlospermum, like Cochlospermum gossypium, produce gum exudates (e.g., gum kondagogu).
- Cochlospermum tinctorium has a rootstock that yields a dye.
Taxonomy and Nomenclature
- Genus: Cochlospermum
- Families: Cochlospermaceae or Bixaceae
- Major Group: Angiosperms (Flowering plants)
- Synonyms:
- Maximilianea gossypium Kuntze (Illegitimate)
- Wittelsbachia gossypium Mart. (Illegitimate)
- Maximilianea tinctoria
- M. nilotica
- Maximilianea gillivraei (Benth.) Kuntze
Distribution and Habitat
- Native to tropical regions.
- Cochlospermum religiosum: Tropical region of Southeast Asia and the Indian Subcontinent. Also native to India, Burma, and Thailand.
- Cochlospermum angolense: Native to Angola and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
- Cochlospermum vitifolium: Ranges from Mexico to Northern South America. Planted in gardens all over the tropics.
- Cochlospermum tinctorium: West African country of Mali.
- Cochlospermum gillivraei: Australia (Australian Kapok).
Morphological Characteristics
- Cochlospermum religiosum: A shrub or a deciduous or semi-deciduous small tree, 3-8 m tall, with greyish bark.
- Cochlospermum vitifolium: Small tree, 10-20 ft. Palo barril has a straight white trunk up to 60 feet
- Cochlospermum gillivraei: Deciduous trees, to 10 m tall, bark 20-25 mm thick, surface dark grey, fibrous branchlets thick. Leaves simple, palmately 3-5 lobed, alternate, estipulate petiole
- Australian species of Cochlospermum tend to lose their leaves.
Ecological Role
- Cochlospermum vitifolium is a pioneer tree species often found in disturbed and early successional tropical dry forests.
Common Names
- Buttercup Tree (General, also for Cochlospermum vitifolium and Cochlospermum religiosum)
- Mountain Cotton
- Cotton-tree
- Katira (for Cochlospermum religiosum)
- Palo barril, rosa amarilla (for Cochlospermum vitifolium)
- Australian Kapok (for Cochlospermum gillivraei)
- Silk Cottontree
Traditional Uses
- Cochlospermum tinctorium: Widely used medicinal plant in Mali. The rootstock yields a brown-yellow dye, used for dyeing cloth (cotton), thread, mats, and basketware.
Quirky Facts
- Originally considered in the same family as the kapok tree, then in its own family, Cochlospermum is now known to be a relative of the Bixaceae.
- Cochlospermum tinctorium oil is not recommended for fragrance use.
Further Information
- Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN), U.S. Department of Agriculture Agricultural Research Service.
- Encyclopedia of Life.
- A Dictionary of Plant Sciences dictionary on Encyclopedia.com.
- Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cochlospermum_religiosum)