Panama rubber tree, Mastate blanco
Castilla elastica
Family: Moraceae
What it is like
A tree. It grows 30 m tall. It loses its leaves during the year. The leaves are 45 cm long by 17 cm wide. The leaves have tufts of hair along the edge. The leaves are hairy underneath. The flowers are green or yellow. They are in flattened head like clusters. The fruit is a flat disk of green bracts. These have about 20-30 orange-red fleshy 1 seeded fruit. The seeds are 8-10 mm long by 6-8 mm wide.
There are about 2 Castilla species. It was used for latex rubber.
Where it is found
It is a tropical plant.
Countries/locations it is found in
American Samoa, Asia, Australia, Central America (country/location of origin), Colombia, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Haiti, Jamaica, Lesser Antilles, Marquesas, Mexico (country/location of origin), Nicaragua, North America, Pacific, Panama, Puerto Rico, Samoa, Sao Tome and Principe, SE Asia, Singapore, South America, Sri Lanka, Venezuela, West Indies
How it is used for food
Edible parts
Fruit
How it is grown
It is probably pollinated by thrips.
Its other names
Local names
Arbol del hule, Caucho, Pulu mamoe, Pulu vao, Taspul, Ule