silk cottontree
Cochlospermum vitifolium (Willd.) Spreng.
Cochlospermum vitifolium, known as silk cottontree, is a tree species in the Bixaceae family. It can grow up to 12 metres tall and is characterized by its deciduous leaves and large, showy yellow flowers that resemble roses. The species is found in dry jungles from southern Mexico to Central America, at elevations up to 1,200 metres. Its wood is used to produce a yellow-orange dye for cotton textiles.
Description
Cochlospermum vitifolium (Willd.) Spreng. is a member of the Bixaceae family and is commonly called silk cottontree. The tree can reach heights of up to 12 metres and has large, solitary yellow flowers that are often mistaken for roses. It is native to dry tropical regions, including southern Mexico and Central America, and is found at elevations up to 1,200 metres. The wood of this species is historically used to create a yellow-orange dye for cotton fabric. It is distributed across various regions in Colombia, including Antioquia, Bolívar, and Cesar, as well as in other parts of South America, the Caribbean, and Central America.
Other common names
silk cottontree
Distribution
Atlántico: Finca El Palomar, Bolívar: Hacienda El Ceibal · Complejo Humedales Hato Corozal · Antioquia, Arauca, Atlántico, Bolívar, Boyacá, Casanare, Cesar, Chocó, Córdoba, Cundinamarca, Guaviare, La Guajira, Magdalena, Meta, Santander, Sucre, Vichada · BR · Barrancas | Distracción | Hatonuevo | Piojó | Riohacha · Reserva Nacional Natural Puinawai | ReservaNacional Natural Nukak | Santuario de Flora y Fauna Los Colorados | Parque Nacional Natural Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta | Parque Nacional Natural Macuira | Parque Nacional Natural Tayrona | Parque Nacional Natur · SC · Núcleo CI Tequendama · Barrancabermeja · MS · Galápagos Islands · Antioquia, Bolívar, Casanare, Cesar, Chocó, Córdoba, La Guajira, Guaviare, Magdalena, Meta, Sucre, Vichada · Global · TomoGrande, 4.856823|-70.223777 · Municipio de Barrancas, Cerrejón Cerro La Potrosa, Bosque Seco Tropical del caribe colombiano, lat: 11° 05' 5.1'' N, long: 72° 33' 57.8'' W, 206-259 m · Microcuenca alta de río Tillavá · Bahamas · Belize · Bolivia · Brazil Northeast · Brazil North · Colombia · Costa Rica · Cuba · Dominican Republic · Ecuador · El Salvador · Guatemala · Guyana · Honduras
Synonyms
Maximilianea codinaeMaximilianea hibiscodesMaximilianea triphyllaMaximilianea vitifoliaWittelsbachia vitifoliaBombax vitifoliumCochlospermum hibiscoides var. dasycarpumCochlospermum hibiscoides var. gymnocarpumCochlospermum codinaeCochlospermum hibiscoidesCochlospermum luetzeiburgiiCochlospermum serratifoliumCochlospermum triphyllumWittelsbachia vitifoliaCochlospermum luetzelburgii
