Bombax buonopozense
Encyclopedia
Bombax buonopozense, commonly known as the Gold Coast Bombax or Red-flowered Silk Cotton Tree, is a tree in the mallow family
. It is also known in the Dagbani language
as Vabga (plural Vabsi).
It is native primarily in West Africa
, where it is found in rainforests from Sierra Leone
in the northwest, east to Uganda
and south to Gabon
, typically at elevations of 900 to 1200 metres. A large tree, it often reaches heights of 40 metres (130 feet) with buttress roots up to 6 metres (20 feet) in diameter. The bark of younger trees is covered with spines and large, deep pink-to-red flowers emerge while the tree is leafless.
Various parts of the plant are used for medicinal purposes, as food, as a source of clothing fibre, as a building material, and as a dye. The fruits are eaten by animals such as the water chevrotain.
s that can spread 6 metres (20 feet). The bark
is covered in large, conical spines, especially when young, but shedding them with age to some degree. The branches are arranged in whorls. The leaves
are compound and have 5 to 9 leaflet
s and 15 to 25 secondary veins. They are set on long petiole
s that typically measure between 22 and 14 cm. The individual leaflets have entire margins and are also quite large, measuring from 8 to 23 cm in length by 3 to 7.5 cm in width. The undersides of the leaflets may be either glabrous (i.e. hairless) or puberulous (i.e. very finely haired). The bud
s are conical.
The conspicuous flower
s emerge while the tree is leafless and are either solitary or arranged in small axillary cymes. The truncate calyx, that is the whorl of sepal
s, is 1 to 1.6 cm high and is cupuliform, or cup-shaped. It is also deciduous, meaning that it does not persist on the fruit. The petal
s are deep pink or red in colour and are 5.5 to 9.5 cm in length by 2.5 to 3.7 cm in width. The numerous stamen
s are arranged in bundles with two whorls. The fruit
s are oblong and fairly large, being 8 to 18 cm in length by 3.5 to 6 cm in diameter. They are glabrous, either rigged or angular, and loculicidal, meaning that they open spontaneously at maturity along the capsule wall in between the sections of the locule. They contain many seeds that are 5 to 6 mm in length, all of which are have a woolly indument, that is a cotton-like fibre covering.
, where it is native, the leaves are common as fodder for domestic livestock. The bark is burnt to produce a smoke that is believed to drive away evil spirits called alizini in Dagbani. The abundant thorns present on the bark are burnt and the resulting charcoal is mixed with butter to treat swelling. Dried gum produced from the tree is used as an incense
.
The wood is quite light, which limits its uses to canoe
s and other implements. A dye can be made from the tannin
s within the bark, while the cotton
-like fibre that covers the seeds is gathered and used as a cotton substitute. It cannot be spun, however, so its use is limited to a stuffing for pillows and clothing. Both the flowers and the young fruits are used in food.
Malvaceae
Malvaceae, or the mallow family, is a family of flowering plants containing over 200 genera with close to 2,300 species. Judd & al. Well known members of this family include okra, jute and cacao...
. It is also known in the Dagbani language
Dagbani language
Dagbani is a Gur language spoken in Ghana. Its native speakers are primarily of the Dagomba people, but Dagbani is also widely known as a first language in northern Ghana.-Vowels:Dagbani has eleven phonemic vowels: six short and five long vowels:...
as Vabga (plural Vabsi).
It is native primarily in West Africa
West Africa
West Africa or Western Africa is the westernmost region of the African continent. Geopolitically, the UN definition of Western Africa includes the following 16 countries and an area of approximately 5 million square km:-Flags of West Africa:...
, where it is found in rainforests from Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone , officially the Republic of Sierra Leone, is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Guinea to the north and east, Liberia to the southeast, and the Atlantic Ocean to the west and southwest. Sierra Leone covers a total area of and has an estimated population between 5.4 and 6.4...
in the northwest, east to Uganda
Uganda
Uganda , officially the Republic of Uganda, is a landlocked country in East Africa. Uganda is also known as the "Pearl of Africa". It is bordered on the east by Kenya, on the north by South Sudan, on the west by the Democratic Republic of the Congo, on the southwest by Rwanda, and on the south by...
and south to Gabon
Gabon
Gabon , officially the Gabonese Republic is a state in west central Africa sharing borders with Equatorial Guinea to the northwest, Cameroon to the north, and with the Republic of the Congo curving around the east and south. The Gulf of Guinea, an arm of the Atlantic Ocean is to the west...
, typically at elevations of 900 to 1200 metres. A large tree, it often reaches heights of 40 metres (130 feet) with buttress roots up to 6 metres (20 feet) in diameter. The bark of younger trees is covered with spines and large, deep pink-to-red flowers emerge while the tree is leafless.
Various parts of the plant are used for medicinal purposes, as food, as a source of clothing fibre, as a building material, and as a dye. The fruits are eaten by animals such as the water chevrotain.
Description
B. buonopozense is a large tropical tree that grows to 40 metres (130 feet) in height with large buttress rootButtress root
Buttress are large roots on all sides of a big bottomed tree or shallowly rooted tree. Typically, they are found in nutrient-poor rainforest soils and do not penetrate to deeper layers. They prevent the tree from falling over while also gathering more nutrients...
s that can spread 6 metres (20 feet). The bark
Bark
Bark is the outermost layers of stems and roots of woody plants. Plants with bark include trees, woody vines and shrubs. Bark refers to all the tissues outside of the vascular cambium and is a nontechnical term. It overlays the wood and consists of the inner bark and the outer bark. The inner...
is covered in large, conical spines, especially when young, but shedding them with age to some degree. The branches are arranged in whorls. The leaves
Leaf
A leaf is an organ of a vascular plant, as defined in botanical terms, and in particular in plant morphology. Foliage is a mass noun that refers to leaves as a feature of plants....
are compound and have 5 to 9 leaflet
Leaflet
A leaflet in botany is a part of a compound leaf. A leaflet may resemble an entire leaf, but it is not borne on a stem as a leaf is, but rather on a vein of the whole leaf. Compound leaves are common in many plant families...
s and 15 to 25 secondary veins. They are set on long petiole
Petiole (botany)
In botany, the petiole is the stalk attaching the leaf blade to the stem. The petiole usually has the same internal structure as the stem. Outgrowths appearing on each side of the petiole are called stipules. Leaves lacking a petiole are called sessile, or clasping when they partly surround the...
s that typically measure between 22 and 14 cm. The individual leaflets have entire margins and are also quite large, measuring from 8 to 23 cm in length by 3 to 7.5 cm in width. The undersides of the leaflets may be either glabrous (i.e. hairless) or puberulous (i.e. very finely haired). The bud
Bud
In botany, a bud is an undeveloped or embryonic shoot and normally occurs in the axil of a leaf or at the tip of the stem. Once formed, a bud may remain for some time in a dormant condition, or it may form a shoot immediately. Buds may be specialized to develop flowers or short shoots, or may have...
s are conical.
The conspicuous flower
Flower
A flower, sometimes known as a bloom or blossom, is the reproductive structure found in flowering plants . The biological function of a flower is to effect reproduction, usually by providing a mechanism for the union of sperm with eggs...
s emerge while the tree is leafless and are either solitary or arranged in small axillary cymes. The truncate calyx, that is the whorl of sepal
Sepal
A sepal is a part of the flower of angiosperms . Collectively the sepals form the calyx, which is the outermost whorl of parts that form a flower. Usually green, sepals have the typical function of protecting the petals when the flower is in bud...
s, is 1 to 1.6 cm high and is cupuliform, or cup-shaped. It is also deciduous, meaning that it does not persist on the fruit. The petal
Petal
Petals are modified leaves that surround the reproductive parts of flowers. They often are brightly colored or unusually shaped to attract pollinators. Together, all of the petals of a flower are called a corolla. Petals are usually accompanied by another set of special leaves called sepals lying...
s are deep pink or red in colour and are 5.5 to 9.5 cm in length by 2.5 to 3.7 cm in width. The numerous stamen
Stamen
The stamen is the pollen producing reproductive organ of a flower...
s are arranged in bundles with two whorls. The fruit
Fruit
In broad terms, a fruit is a structure of a plant that contains its seeds.The term has different meanings dependent on context. In non-technical usage, such as food preparation, fruit normally means the fleshy seed-associated structures of certain plants that are sweet and edible in the raw state,...
s are oblong and fairly large, being 8 to 18 cm in length by 3.5 to 6 cm in diameter. They are glabrous, either rigged or angular, and loculicidal, meaning that they open spontaneously at maturity along the capsule wall in between the sections of the locule. They contain many seeds that are 5 to 6 mm in length, all of which are have a woolly indument, that is a cotton-like fibre covering.
Uses
Many parts of the plant are utilised for medicinal and traditional purposes. In GhanaGhana
Ghana , officially the Republic of Ghana, is a country located in West Africa. It is bordered by Côte d'Ivoire to the west, Burkina Faso to the north, Togo to the east, and the Gulf of Guinea to the south...
, where it is native, the leaves are common as fodder for domestic livestock. The bark is burnt to produce a smoke that is believed to drive away evil spirits called alizini in Dagbani. The abundant thorns present on the bark are burnt and the resulting charcoal is mixed with butter to treat swelling. Dried gum produced from the tree is used as an incense
Incense
Incense is composed of aromatic biotic materials, which release fragrant smoke when burned. The term "incense" refers to the substance itself, rather than to the odor that it produces. It is used in religious ceremonies, ritual purification, aromatherapy, meditation, for creating a mood, and for...
.
The wood is quite light, which limits its uses to canoe
Canoe
A canoe or Canadian canoe is a small narrow boat, typically human-powered, though it may also be powered by sails or small electric or gas motors. Canoes are usually pointed at both bow and stern and are normally open on top, but can be decked over A canoe (North American English) or Canadian...
s and other implements. A dye can be made from the tannin
Tannin
A tannin is an astringent, bitter plant polyphenolic compound that binds to and precipitates proteins and various other organic compounds including amino acids and alkaloids.The term tannin refers to the use of...
s within the bark, while the cotton
Cotton
Cotton is a soft, fluffy staple fiber that grows in a boll, or protective capsule, around the seeds of cotton plants of the genus Gossypium. The fiber is almost pure cellulose. The botanical purpose of cotton fiber is to aid in seed dispersal....
-like fibre that covers the seeds is gathered and used as a cotton substitute. It cannot be spun, however, so its use is limited to a stuffing for pillows and clothing. Both the flowers and the young fruits are used in food.