Cochlospermum religiosum

Cochlospermum religiosum is a flowering plant from the tropical region of Southeast Asia and the Indian subcontinent. It is a small tree growing to a height of 7.5 m (25 ft) usually found in dry deciduous forests. The name religiosum derives from the fact that the flowers are used as temple offerings. It is also known as silk-cotton tree because the capsules containing the seeds have a fluffy cotton-like substance similar to kapok.^[2] Another common name is buttercup tree because its yellow and bright flowers look like large-sized buttercups.^[3]

Clade:Tracheophytes

Clade:Angiosperms

Clade:Eudicots

Clade:Rosids

Quick facts Scientific classification, Binomial name ...

Cochlospermum religiosum
Cochlospermum religiosum blossoms
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Eudicots
Clade:	Rosids
Order:	Malvales
Family:	Bixaceae
Genus:	Cochlospermum
Species:	C. religiosum
Binomial name
Cochlospermum religiosum (L.) Alston
Synonyms[1]
List Bombax gossypium L. Bombax religiosum L. Cochlospermum balicum Boerl. Cochlospermum gossypium DC. Maximilianea gossypium Kuntze Wittelsbachia gossypium Mart. & Zucc.

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In Theravada Buddhism, this plant is said to have been used as the tree for achieving enlightenment, or Bodhi, by the nineteenth Buddha, who was named "Siddhaththa" (Sinhala script: "සිද්ධත්ථ"). The plant is known as කිණිහිරියා (Kinihiriyaa) in the Sinhala language, and කණිකාර (Kanikaara) in Sanskrit.