Family6 :Bombacaceae
(The cotton family)
Systematic Positions
Divisions : Spermatophyta
Sub-division: Angiospermae
Class ;
Dicotyledonae
Sub-class:
Polypetalae
Series:
Thalamiflorae
Order:
Mailaves
Family;
Bombacaceae
Distribution
Comprises of 22 genera and 140
species.
 It is an exclusively Tropical Family.

Vegetative
Characteristics
Habit:
Tall and thick trees.
Roots:
Tap roots
Stem:
Tall ,thick trunk,branched,resin duct and
mucilage cells occur.
Leaf:
Alternate
Simple
Palmately compound
Decidious
Floral characters
Inforescence
 Flowers :
Solitary
Large and showy
Bractate
Actinomorphic
Bisexual and hypogynous.
 Calyx :5 sepals.
Free or basally connate.
Valvate,inferior.
 Corolla:5 petals
Contorted in bud
Inferior.
Androcium
5-many stamens.
Free or monadelphos.
Anther 1-2 celled,longitudinal dehiscion.
Smooth pollen grains.
 Gynoecium
2-5 carpels,syncarpous
Superior ovary
Axil placentation
Single style,Capitate or lobed stigma.
 Fruits
Capsule or berry like.
 Seeds
Smooth,non-endospermic.

Important genera

Bombax: Bombax ceiba
Bombax malabaricum.
Ceiba patendra.
Ceiba malabarica.
 Ochroma: Ochroma lagapus.

Ceiba:
Ecomnomic
Importance
Floses: From Bombax ceiba
 Light timber: From Bombax
malabaricum
 Medicinal:Bark of Adasonia is used as
the substitute for qunine.
