Cochlospermum religiosum

Cochlospermum religiosum
Cochlospermum religiosum blossoms
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Malvales
Family: Bixaceae
Genus: Cochlospermum
Species:
C. religiosum
Binomial name
Cochlospermum religiosum
Synonyms[1]
List
    • Bombax gossypium L.
    • Bombax religiosum L.
    • Cochlospermum balicum Boerl.
    • Cochlospermum gossypium DC.
    • Maximilianea gossypium Kuntze
    • Wittelsbachia gossypium Mart. & Zucc.

Cochlospermum religiosum is a flowering plant from the tropical region of Southeast Asia and the Indian Subcontinent. It is a small tree growing to a height of 7.5 m (25 ft) usually found in dry deciduous forests. The name religiosum derives from the fact that the flowers are used as temple offerings. It is also known as silk-cotton tree because the capsules containing the seeds have a fluffy cotton-like substance similar to kapok.[2] Another common name is buttercup tree because its yellow and bright flowers look like large-sized buttercups.[3]

In Theravada Buddhism, this plant is said to have used as the tree for achieved enlightenment, or Bodhi by nineteenth Buddha called "Siddhaththa - සිද්ධත්ථ". The plant is known as කිණිහිරියා (Kinihiriyaa) in Sinhala, and කණිකාර (Kanikaara) in Sanskrit..

  1. ^ "Cochlospermum religiosum (L.) Alston". Plants of the World Online. Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. 2017. Retrieved 12 December 2020.
  2. ^ USDA Cochlospermum religiosum (L.) Alston
  3. ^ Flowers of India - Buttercup tree