Ceiba insignis, White floss silk tree, Resham rui, Palo borracho

Ceiba insignis (Kunth) P.E.Gibbs & Semir
Family: Malvaceae
Synonyms: Ceiba integrifolia (Ulbr.) Ravenna, Ceiba mythica Ravenna, Chorisia insignis Kunth, Chorisia integrifolia Ulbr.

Common name: White floss silk tree, White Kapok
Hindi: Resham rui रेशम रूई
Spanish: palo borracho

Description: A small medium sized prickly tree, Prickles small, conical, ventricose on the branches and trunk. Petiole 3-9 cm long, c. 1 mm thick, articulated at base, glabrous, terete; leaflets 5-7, obovate-oblong, 5-12 cm x 3-4 cm, cuspidate with revolute margin. base rounded or acute, central vein prominent, glabrous on both sides, green above glaucescent beneath; petiolule c. 4 mm long, articulated at the base. Bracteoles small, orbicular, glabrous. Calyx 3-5 lobed, lobes rounded, 1.5-1.7 cm x c. 1.5 cm, densely silky within, glabrous outside. Petals 5, spathulate, obtuse, emarginate. 5-6 cm x 1.5-2 cm inner surface covered with long silky hairs, outer surface ± pubescent. Outer staminodial tube 1.5 cm long, 10 lobed at the apex, lobes linear-oblong, obtuse, pilose. 5 mm long, inner staminal tube elongated, 4.5-5 cm long; anthers 10, linear, unilocular, 2-3 mm long. Ovary ovate, c. 3 mm long, glabrous with stigmatose style. Capsule 10-14 cm long, oblong, narrowed at the base, unilocular, dehiscing by 6 valves.

4Published articles of  Ceiba insignis
1. Stigma and style in Ceiba insignis (Kunth) Gibbs and Semir (Ex. Chorisia speciosa St. Hil) (Bombacaceae)
By: Rosenfeldt, S.; Galati, B. G.
Phytomorphology  Volume: 50   Issue: 1   Pages: 69-74   Published: January-March, 2000

2. The pollen development in Ceiba insignis (Kunth) Gibbs and Semir ex Chorisia speciosa St. Hil. (Bombacaceae)
By: Galati, Beatriz G.; Rosenfeldt, Sonia
Phytomorphology  Volume: 48   Issue: 2   Pages: 121-129   Published: April-June, 1998

3. Ovule ontogenesis in Ceiba insignis (Kunth) Gibbs and Semir (ex. Chorisa speciosa St. Hil.) (Bombacaceae)
By: Galati, B. G.; Rosenfeldt, S.
Phytomorphology  Volume: 47   Issue: 3   Pages: 247-253   Published: July-Sept., 1997

4. The development of the megagametophyte in Ceiba insignis (Kunth) Gibbs and Semir (ex. Chorisia speciosa St. Hil.) (Bombacaceae)
By: Galati, B. G.; Rosenfeldt, S.
Phytomorphology  Volume: 47   Issue: 2   Pages: 221-226   Published: 1997