Cespedesia spathulata

Native to Central America and tropical South America, this tree in the ochna family grows about 16 to 82 feet tall in humid forests, clearings, and along roadsides. In Colombia, it occurs between about 330 and 3,950 feet. Its large, spoon-shaped leaves cluster at the branch tips and can reach about 3 feet long. New leaves emerge deep red before turning green. Large, branched clusters of yellow flowers rise above the foliage. The woody seed capsules split open when ripe, releasing winged seeds carried by the wind. Its wood is used in rural construction in Panama. Photographed in the central Andes mountain range of Colombia.