Apeiba tibourbou

Native from Mexico through Central America into tropical South America and parts of the Caribbean, this fast-growing tree can reach about 80 feet tall. It grows in secondary forests and savannas; in Colombia, it occurs from sea level to about 2,600 feet. Its yellow flowers are pollinated by bees and other small insects. The rounded fruits, covered with long bristles, resemble sea urchins and contain many small seeds. Its exceptionally light wood is used to build fishing rafts in northeastern Brazil and to produce paper pulp. Fibers from the bark are made into ropes. Photographed in Medellín, Colombia and Panama.