Kapok (Ceiba pentandra)

Kapok or kapok tandu or Java cotton or silk-cotton or kapok (Ceiba pentandra) is a species of plant in the Malvaceae, fruit that creates an atmosphere on the streets resembling snowfall with scattered fibers, grows under an elevation of 500 meters and rainfall of 1500-2500 mm/year.

C. pentandra has a height of 60-70 meters, trunk diameter of 3 meters, tree bark is brownish green, roots spread horizontally on the soil surface. Stems towering singly or branched and often found with thorns.

Fruit is a source of fiber for mattresses, pillows, clothing, heat insulation and sound insulation. The dried skin of the fruit can be used for fuel. The seeds contain oil which is used for lubricants, lamp oil and energy raw materials.

Cultivated plants generally only grow to 10-30 meters. Trees bear fruit for the first time in 4-5 years and the economic age is up to 60 years.

Leaves, flowers and young fruit are edible. Plants are known to have biomedical potential that has not been widely studied along with other physiochemical properties. The leaves are commonly used to treat diarrhea, skin disorders, sedatives and pain relievers. Tops of branches to treat asthma.

The leaves produce organic compounds including phenolics 174 mg/g, alkaloids 4.54 mg/g, flavonoids 26 mg/g, tannins 0.48 mg/g, saponins 1.55 mg/g, phytic acid 0.15 mg/g, TUI (trypsin inhibitor) 14.54 mg/g, HUI (hemagglutinin inhibitor) 9.65 mg/g, oxalic acid 0.1 mg/g, palmitic acid and linoleic acid.

Fiber can be used as a hydrophobic-oleophilic absorbent material for cleaning up oil spills. The raw fiber is compacted to form packs with a density of 0.02g/cm3 to absorb 36, 43, and 45 gram/pack of diesel, hydraulic lubricant (AWS46) and engine lubricant (HD40) compounds.

This absorbance performance was significantly better than polypropylene compounds which were only able to absorb 8-10 grams/gram for the three compounds. This potential is the basis for increasing cotton production and triggering the recycling of production waste.

Kingdom: Plantae
Phylum: Tracheophyta
Subphylum: Angiospermae
Class: Magnoliopsida
Order: Malvales
Family: Malvaceae
Subfamily: Bombacoideae
Genus: Ceiba
Species: Ceiba pentandra

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