POS LB 242 16

The species is widespread in India and Southeast Asia; this specimen comes from Mumbai western India. Each seed bears a terminal tuft of silky hairs (termed a coma), which can be used as kapok for stuffing pillows and cushions. Fibre can also be extracted from the bark of the stems. The plant is also known as ‘giant milkweed’ has numerous medicinal uses but is also very poisonous.