(n): massive tropical tree with deep ridges on its massive trunk and bearing large pods of seeds covered with silky floss; source of the silky kapok fiber
(n): any tree having seeds and ovules contained in the ovary
"Their vehicle was a streamlined 'palace' horse van painted in Howard crimson and white and featuring two musical horns, eight headlights, fourteen cigar lighters, and a luxurious stall with kapok-stuffed walls. The back doors dropped open, and Smith and Seabiscuit emerged."
—Laura Hillenbrand, Seabiscuit: An American Legend (New York: Ballentine Books, 2001), 355
As Java is not in the areas reesetee mentioned, we'll have to add Southeast Asia. Indeed I have seen this tree growing in villages in Java. I believe its name is randu in Javanese and kapuk in Indonesian, hence the origins of this word.
Might I also add that it is excellent pillow stuffing. It is quite cool, as compared to synthetic fibres. In the tropics a night on a kapok mattress is much preferable to a night on anything else.
A tropical tree native to northern South America, Central America, the Caribbean, and tropical west Africa. The word is also used for the fiber obtained from the tree's seed pods. The tree is also known as the Java cotton, Java kapok, or silk-cotton tree. It's a sacredsymbol in Mayan mythology.
I found some kapok while touring the backblocks by bicycle on Sunday.
"Their vehicle was a streamlined 'palace' horse van painted in Howard crimson and white and featuring two musical horns, eight headlights, fourteen cigar lighters, and a luxurious stall with kapok-stuffed walls. The back doors dropped open, and Smith and Seabiscuit emerged."
—Laura Hillenbrand, Seabiscuit: An American Legend (New York: Ballentine Books, 2001), 355
Thanks, bilby. I think I pilfered that definition from a dictionary, and I should have noticed it was missing a piece of geography.
As Java is not in the areas reesetee mentioned, we'll have to add Southeast Asia. Indeed I have seen this tree growing in villages in Java. I believe its name is randu in Javanese and kapuk in Indonesian, hence the origins of this word.
Might I also add that it is excellent pillow stuffing. It is quite cool, as compared to synthetic fibres. In the tropics a night on a kapok mattress is much preferable to a night on anything else.
A tropical tree native to northern South America, Central America, the Caribbean, and tropical west Africa. The word is also used for the fiber obtained from the tree's seed pods. The tree is also known as the Java cotton, Java kapok, or silk-cotton tree. It's a sacred symbol in Mayan mythology.