Bombax costatum
Malvaceae FAMILY

Bombax costatum

Bombax costatum

Edibility
2/5
Medicinal
2/5

Safety & Hazards

None known

Botanical Description

Bombax costatum is a deciduous tree that usually grows 10 - 25 metres tall, though in the Sahel it hardly gets over 6 metres[ 303 Title World Agroforesty Centre Publication Author Website http://www.worldagroforestry.org/ Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description An excellent online database of a huge range of trees giving very good information on each plant - its uses, ecology, identity, propagation, pests etc. , 617 Title Traditional Vegetables in Benin Publication Author Achigan-Dako E. Et al Publisher Darwin Initiative; International Foundation for Science Year 2009 ISBN Description Issued as a PDF on the Internet, it contains basic information on over 250 species of plants used for food in Benin. ]. The straight bole is spiny, especially when young, and is covered in a thick, corky bark[ 332 Title The Useful Plants of West Tropical Africa. Publication Author Burkil. H. M. Publisher Royal Botanic Gardens; Kew. Year 1985 - 2004 ISBN Description Brief descriptions and details of the uses of over 4,000 plants. A superb, if terse, resource, it is also available electronically on the Web - see http://www.aluka.org/ , 774 Title Trees and Shrubs of the Sahel. Their Characteristics and Uses. Publication Author von Maydell H. Publisher Deutsche Gesellschaft fur Technische Zusammenarbeit; Germany Year 1990 ISBN 3-8236-1198-4 Description A well-researched book, usually with more than one photograph of each species and good information on the plant and its uses. ]. A true multipurpose tree, providing medicines, fibres, food, oil, timber and much more for the local population. The fibre from the seedpods was at one time exported. The tree is occasionally cultivated in west Africa for its edible calyx[ 617 Title Traditional Vegetables in Benin Publication Author Achigan-Dako E. Et al Publisher Darwin Initiative; International Foundation for Science Year 2009 ISBN Description Issued as a PDF on the Internet, it contains basic information on over 250 species of plants used for food in Benin. ]. This species has not been evaluated in the IUCN Red List of Endangered Species, but it is said to be disappearing from the Sahel and Guinean woodland areas of its range[ 332 Title The Useful Plants of West Tropical Africa. Publication Author Burkil. H. M. Publisher Royal Botanic Gardens; Kew. Year 1985 - 2004 ISBN Description Brief descriptions and details of the uses of over 4,000 plants. A superb, if terse, resource, it is also available electronically on the Web - see http://www.aluka.org/ ].

Habitat & Origin

Origintropical
Native RangeTropical west Africa - Senegal to central Africa, Guinea across Ghana and Nigeria to S. Chad.
HabitatSavannahs, cleared forests and dry woodlands[ 303 Title World Agroforesty Centre Publication Author Website http://www.worldagroforestry.org/ Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description An excellent online database of a huge range of trees giving very good information on each plant - its uses, ecology, identity, propagation, pests etc. , 617 Title Traditional Vegetables in Benin Publication Author Achigan-Dako E. Et al Publisher Darwin Initiative; International Foundation for Science Year 2009 ISBN Description Issued as a PDF on the Internet, it contains basic information on over 250 species of plants used for food in Benin. ].