Characteristics
A small tree. It grows 2-3 m high. The bark is rough. It loses its leaves during the year. The leaves are large and hairy. They are almost round and 3-5 lobed. The blade is 11-30 cm long by 13.5-25 cm wide. New leaves are the largest. The flowers are red and bell shaped. They are 3-4 cm across in clusters. They grow along the branches. They appear when the tree is without leaves. The fruit is a hard woody capsule. It is about 8-12 cm long by 3-4 cm wide. It has bristly hairs over it. It splits open and has many hairy yellow seeds.
| Life form |
-
|
| Growth form |
tree
|
| Growth support |
-
|
| Foliage retention |
deciduous
|
| Sexuality |
-
|
| Pollination |
-
|
| Spread |
-
|
| Mature width (meter) |
-
|
| Mature height (meter) |
2.0 - 3.0
|
| Root system |
-
|
| Rooting depth (meter) |
-
|
| Root diameter (meter) |
-
|
| Flower color |
-
|
| Blooming months |
-
|
| Fruit color |
-
|
| Fruiting months |
-
|
| Nitrogen fixer |
-
|
| Photosynthetic pathway |
-
|
Environment
A tropical plant. It is an understorey plant in open forest. It needs sunny well-drained sites. It suits hardiness zones 11-12.
| Light |
-
|
| Soil humidity |
-
|
| Soil texture |
-
|
| Soil acidity |
-
|
| Soil nutriment |
-
|
| Hardiness (USDA) |
|
Usage
The seeds are eaten raw or cooked. The swollen roots of young plants are eaten cooked. The gum is edible after softening and used for drinks or sweets.
| Uses |
gum
|
| Edible
|
roots
saps
seeds
|
| Therapeutic use
|
-
|
| Human toxicity |
-
|
| Animal toxicity |
-
|
Cultivation
Plants can be grown from seed.
| Mode |
seedlings
|
| Germination duration (days) |
-
|
| Germination temperacture (C°) |
-
|
| Germination luminosity |
-
|
| Germination treatment |
-
|
| Minimum temperature (C°) |
-
|
| Optimum temperature (C°) |
-
|
| Size |
-
|
| Vigor |
-
|
| Productivity |
-
|
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