Godmania aesculifolia

Native from Mexico through Central America into tropical South America, this small tree grows in forests, woodland and open vegetation. Opposite leaves are palmately compound, with several leaflets radiating from the end of a shared stalk. Terminal clusters bear small flowers that are yellow underneath and orange-brown above. The long, narrow seed capsules twist like corkscrews and release winged seeds. In Panama, it loses its leaves during the dry season and replaces them when the rains begin. Its wood is used in construction and for tool handles. Photographed in Colombia.