Malabard chestnuts, cayenne nuts.

Figure 4-27 Malabari

1. There are two left. Fruit 3. seed

(painted by Li Jianing)

Kapok plants of Kapok family. Native to Guiana, Venezuela, Costa Rica, Mexico and other places in Latin America, it is cultivated in Taiwan Province Province and South China. The tree is evergreen, 6 ~ 8m high, with erect stems, thick base, green to grayish green, slightly longitudinally split and green branches. Palmately compound leaves alternate, with 5-7 leaflets, turquoise, elliptic-lanceolate,10-25 cm long, almost sessile. Flowers are mostly solitary, pumping from the top of branches or the axils near the top leaves. They are very large, with a diameter of 12 ~ 15 cm, a tubular base, long horns, and many stamens protruding from the corolla. Capsule oval or rectangular, leathery, dark gray-green, with five sutures. When it matures, it cracks along the suture line, with many seeds and short cotton-like fibers around it. The seed coat is light brown and patterned, and the cotyledons are fleshy, yellow and white, with hazelnut fragrance (Figure 4-27, Color Figure 67). Strong adaptability and drought tolerance, but it grows fast in fertile, loose and moisture-rich soil, with strong trees, more fruits and high yield. Breeding with seeds, fresh seeds can germinate in a few days after sowing, and will lose their germination ability if stored for too long. Cutting with 1 ~ 2-year-old branches can also take root and strengthen seedlings. After planting for 4 ~ 5 years, it will blossom and bear fruit, and spring flowers will bear fruit in autumn. The number of mature plants varies from dozens to hundreds, depending on the crown size. Seeds contain water 15.3%, protein 6.2%, fat 7.5%, sugar 510.2%, cellulose 2.3%, vitamins C, Ca, P and other nutrients. It can be eaten raw, but after roasting, frying and frying, it is crisp and sweet with excellent flavor. The base of the plant trunk is enlarged, the branches and leaves are swaying, and the shape is strange and beautiful. After pruning and shaping, it can be made into various bonsai, which is a good ornamental plant. There are a large number of seedlings in Taiwan Province Province and Guangdong Province, which are mainly sold to Japan and South Korea.

(Xu Shupei)