Tree Cotton, Red Kapok Tree

Scientific Name : Bombax ceiba L.
Common Name : Tree Cotton, Red Kapok Tree
Chinese Name : 木棉, 紅棉, 英雄樹, 攀枝花
Family : BOMBACACEAE
Local distribution status : Exotic species

Anecdotes on plants

Origins	Provinces in South to Southwest China, also distributed in other regions of tropical Asia. Hot-dry river bank and savannah are the native habitats of the species.
Meanings of name	Tree Cotton is also known as “Hero Tree (英雄樹)” in Chinese, ascribed by the towering and lofty stature of the species, which has a vertical trunk with clear layers of branching. Additionally, its flowers usually do not co-exist with the foliage. The look and habits of Tree Cotton was drawn parallel to a hero who is noble, faithfully, selfless and magnanimous.
Applications	As its common name implies, Tree Cotton is a tree that grows “cotton”. However, the cotton commonly used as raw materials for clothing are instead derived from the Gossypium species classified under Malvaceae. The flower of the Tree Cotton is also one of the ingredients for the Guangdong herbal tea “Five-Flowers Tea”.
Not red Cotton Tree?	Most of the individuals blossom in red, while a minority of them blossom with orange-red or yellow flowers. Scientific research proved that the individuals with red and yellow flowers are the same species, and the divergence of flower colour is merely due to genetic variation.

Traits for identification

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Remarks

Scientific name above is based on Hong Kong Herbarium website : https://www.herbarium.gov.hk/en/hk-plant-database/plant-detail/index.html?pType=species&oID=4526

Scientific names from other databases
― Flora of China : Bombax ceiba Linnaeus
― Plants of the World Online : Bombax ceiba L.

Reference

• Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD). (2018). A Photographic Guide to Common Urban Trees of Hong Kong. 3^rd edition. Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department, Hong Kong. ISBN: 978-988-12021-3-0.
• eFloras. (2008). Bombax ceiba Linnaeus. Flora of China. [Online Edition]. Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis, MO & Harvard University Herbaria, Cambridge, MA. Retrieved 25^th March 2020, from: http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=2&taxon_id=242420835
• Hong Kong Herbarium, Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department & South China Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences. (2007-2011). Bombax ceiba L. 木棉. Flora of Hong Kong. [Online Edition]. Retrieved 25^th March 2020, from: https://www.herbarium.gov.hk/FloraOfHK/Species/4526/4526_S_E.pdf
• Shiu-Ying Hu Herbarium. (2020). Bombax ceiba L. 木棉. Pro-Factsheet. Taxonomical Archive System. Wu Jieh Yee Charitable Foundation Native Plant Resources and Database in Hong Kong. Retrieved 25^th March 2020, from: https://syhuherbarium.sls.cuhk.edu.hk/collections/factsheet-pro/bombax-ceiba/
• 中國科學院仙湖植物園。（2010）。《深圳植物誌》（第2卷）。北京 : 中國林業出版社。國際標準書號 : 978-7-5038-5884-0。
• 中國科學院植物誌編輯委員會。（1959-2004）。〈木棉Bombax ceiba Linnaeus〉。《中國植物誌》。[網上版本]。於2020年3月25日擷取自 : http://www.iplant.cn/info/Bombax%20ceiba?t=z
• 中國科學院華南植物園。（1995）。《廣東植物誌》（第3卷）。廣州 : 廣東科技出版社。國際標準書號 : 978-7-5359-1272-9。
• 吳小麗、馮譯影、黃艾冰、吳小林。（2014）。〈五花茶中藥飲片與五花茶沖劑的應用對比〉。《當代醫學》， 20（22），145。[doi: 10.3969/j.issn.1009-4393.2014.22.111]。於2020年4月1日擷取自 : http://big5.oversea.cnki.net/kcms/detail/detail.aspx?QueryID=4&CurRec=2&DbCode=CJFD&dbname=CJFD2014&filename=DDYI201422112&uid=WEEvREcwSlJHSldRa1FhdkJtNEYweFlaTTdvMGE4ZHBTVEtKSVNZY0tmTT0=$9A4hF_YAuvQ5obgVAqNKPCYcEjKensW4IQMovwHtwkF4VYPoHbKxJw!!
• 楊建軍、田向楠、伍建榕、鄭豔玲、田斌、馬煥成。（2015）。〈紅花木棉與黃花木棉核糖體DNA 分子系統發育研究〉。《中南林業科技大學學報》，35（4），135-138。[doi:10.14067/j.cnki.1673-923x.2015.04.024]。於2020年4月1日擷取自 : https://www.cnki.net/kcms/doi/10.14067/j.cnki.1673-923x.2015.04.024.html
• 漁農自然護理署香港植物標本室、中國科學院華南植物園。（2015）。《香港植物誌》（第1卷）。香港 : 漁農自然護理署。國際標準書號 : 978-988-12021-9-2。