ceiba pentandra

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ceiba pentandra

A massive ceiba pentandra stands in a sunlit clearing, its wide trunk deeply ridged and its branches spreading high above.

Definition

Noun 1. A species of large tropical tree: Ceiba pentandra is the scientific name for a very large, fast-growing tropical tree. It is characterized by a massive, straight trunk that often has wide, buttress-like ridges at its base and distinctive, large seed pods. The tree is the primary source of the commercially important kapok fiber, a silky, cotton-like floss that surrounds its seeds.

Usage Examples
  • Noun:
    • The Ceiba pentandra is considered a sacred tree in many cultures of the Americas.
    • The lightweight fiber harvested from the seed pods of the Ceiba pentandra is known as kapok.
    • A mature Ceiba pentandra can tower over the surrounding rainforest canopy.
Advanced Usage
  • In botanical and ecological contexts: The term is used precisely to identify this specific species within the genus , distinguishing it from related trees like the silk-cotton tree (). It is often discussed for its ecological role as a pioneer species and its importance in traditional medicine and culture.
    • The study focused on the pollination ecology of Ceiba pentandra in its native habitat.
Variants and Related Words
  • Kapok tree (n): The most common English name for , referring directly to its commercially harvested fiber.
  • Silk-cotton tree (n): A general name that can refer to and other trees in the genus that produce similar silky seed fibers.
  • Java cotton (n): Another name for kapok fiber, highlighting one of its regions of cultivation.
  • Kapok (n): The silky, buoyant fiber obtained from the seed pods of this tree, used historically for stuffing life preservers, mattresses, and pillows.
Synonyms
  • Kapok tree: The primary common-name synonym.
  • White silk-cotton tree: A descriptive synonym sometimes used.
Related Terms (Not Phrasal Verbs or Idioms)
  • Pioneer species: A term in ecology describing plants, like the , that are among the first to colonize disturbed or new environments.
  • Buttress roots: The large, wide, above-ground root structures that support the massive trunk of this and other tropical trees.
  • Deciduous: A characteristic of , meaning it sheds its leaves seasonally.
ceiba pentandra

A massive ceiba pentandra stands in a sunlit clearing, its wide trunk deeply ridged and its branches spreading high above.

Noun
  1. massive tropical tree with deep ridges on its massive trunk and bearing large pods of seeds covered with silky floss; source of the silky kapok fiber

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