Bombaceae. 145 
of Ceiba pentandra have only five staminal bundles with two anthers 
each, while those of Bombax Ceiba divide into numerous filaments 
each with one anther. Ceiba pentandra is distributed from Mexico 
to the West Indies and Guiana, all over tropical Africa. East India, 
and the Malayan Archipelago. In India the tree is usually planted 
by the Tamils on the Coromandel coast about their temples. The 
flowers appear while the tree is destitute of foliage and are quickly 
followed by the leaves, while the fruits ripen in May. 
The Kapok Tree has a white, soft wood, which is very brittle 
and of no use, except in the manufacture of toys. From the bark 
of the Kapok Tree an inferior fibre, reddish in color, is sometimes 
prepared and used in India locally for ropes and paper. The floss 
from the seed is, however, of great merit, and most important com- 
mercially. The capsules are densely packed with a silky floss sur- 
rounding the seeds. This floss is used in upholstery for the stuffing 
of pillows, etc. ; the fibre being of too short a staple to be spun. The 
seeds of the Kapok Tree yield a bright red, clear oil. and are also 
eaten, while the young fruits are said to be used in cookery. The 
seeds of this tree are made into cakes by the Hindus and used as 
fodder for their cattle. 
In Honolulu the tree is quite often met with ; nice specimens may 
be seen in the grounds of the Board of Agriculture and Forestry, the 
Queen's Hospital grounds, Mrs. Foster's premises, and around the 
Capitol building. It can always be recognized by its columnar trunk 
and horizontal branches. It was introduced into the Island in the 
early days, probably by Dr. William Hillebrand. 
Adanscnia digitata L. 
Plates LVIII and LIX. 
Baobab Tree, Bottle Tree, Monkey Bread, Sour Gourd. 
The Bottle Tree, or Monkey Bread Tree, known in Honolulu 
mainly by these names, is one of the largest and longest lived trees 
in the world. Its trunk reaches larger dimensions than that of any 
other known tree, often having a diameter of more than thirty feet. 
It is a native of the West Coast of Africa, where trees several thou- 
sand years old can be found on the tree-grass plains, grassy plains 
with trees scattered great distances apart. It forms, with an Acacia, 
the sole tree growth on the plains of Uganda. Its roots penetrate 
deeply into the ground, while the fleshy trunk, which possesses little 
woody substance, is an excellent water reservoir. The Baobab be- 
