Siimappuula (Malayalam: ശീമപ്പൂള)

Bombacaceae (baobab family) » Ceiba pentandra

 

SAY-buh -- Latinized form of the South American name for this tree

pen-TAN-druh -- meaning, five stamens

 

commonly known as: true kapok tree, white silk cotton tree • Bengali: schwetsimul • Hindi: सफेद सावरा safed savara, सफेद सेमुल safed semul, शाल्मलि shalmali • Malayalam: പഞ്ഞിമരം panjimaram, ശീമപ്പൂള siimappuula • Marathi: सफेत सावरा safeta savara • Sanskrit: श्वेत शालमली shweta shalmali • Tamil: பஞ்சித்தணக்கு panji tannaku, ல்மலி shalmali • Telugu: తెల్ల బూరుగ tella buruga • Urdu: سيمل semal, شالملي shalmali

 

Origin: tropical America

 

 

... while still on the tree, the fruits burst open exposing the cotton like substance, which is the kapok of commerce ... more info at Tropilab Inc.

 

... similar fibre is found in the Indian Kapok, Bombax ceiba (also known as Bombax malabaricum) ... darker in colour and less buoyant than the true variety ... more info at Wikipedia.

 

 

References: Dave's Garden • Zipcode Zoo • Mytho-Fleurs • M.M.N.P.D.

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