Some extracts from Wikipedia link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spathodea_campanulata
*Spathodea* is a monotypic <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monotypic> genus<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Genus>in the flowering plant <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flowering_plant> family<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Family_(biology)> Bignoniaceae <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bignoniaceae>. The single species is *Spathodea campanulata*, known as the *Fountain Tree*, *"African tulip tree <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tulip_tree>"*, *Flame-of-the-forest* or *Nandi Flame*. It is a tree that grows between 7-25 metres (23-82 ft) tall, native to tropical Africa <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Africa>. This tree is planted extensively as an ornamental tree<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ornamental_plant>throughout the tropics and is much appreciated for its very showy reddish-orange or crimson (rarely yellow), campanulate flowers<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flower>. It has the potential to become an invasive species<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Invasive_species>, however. The flower bud <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flower_bud> is ampule<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ampule>-shaped and contains water. These buds are often used by children who play with its ability to squirt the water. The sap sometimes stains yellow on fingers and clothes. The open flowers are cup-shaped and holds rain and dew, making them attractive to many species of birds <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bird>. In Neotropical <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neotropical> gardens and parks, their nectar <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nectar> is popular with many hummingbirds <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hummingbird>, such as the Black-throated Mango <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black-throated_Mango> (*Anthracothorax nigricollis*), the Black Jacobin<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Jacobin>( *Florisuga fusca*), or the Gilded Hummingbird<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gilded_Hummingbird>( *Hylocharis chrysura*)[1]<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spathodea_campanulata#cite_note-bm.26da2005-0>. The wood of the tree is soft and is used for nesting by many hole-building birds such as barbets <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barbet>. The generic name <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Name_of_a_biological_genus>comes from the Ancient Greek <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ancient_Greek> word *spathe* (*σφατηε*), in reference to the spadix <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spadix>-like calyx<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flower> . 2009/3/23 sibdas ghosh <[email protected]> > Spathodea campanulata- (Bignoniaceae) , Prantik March 09 > > > > -- With regards, J.M.Garg "We often ignore the beauty around us" Creating Awareness about Indian Flora & Fauna: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Jmgarg1 For learning about our trees & plants, please visit/ join Google e-group (Indiantreepix) http://groups.google.co.in/group/indiantreepix?hl=en --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "indiantreepix" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.co.in/group/indiantreepix?hl=en -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
