Nature Field Guide
Buttercup Tree
- Spanish name
- Poro poro
- Scientific name
- Cochlospermum vitifolium
What Do Pico & Tati Think?
Pico wants to sketch the tree’s silhouette. Tati suggests looking for three clues before guessing its name. What would you notice first?
Species overview
About the Buttercup Tree
Poro poro bears large open yellow flowers with many stamens. Its leaves are simple but divided into several lobes, unlike the separate leaflets of a trumpet tree. The species belongs to a different family from the orange-flowered poro trees.
Identification
Key Features of the Buttercup Tree
Large open yellow flowers
Simple leaves with three to five lobes
Roundish capsules with fluffy seed fibers
Habitat & range
Seasonal woodland and open dry landscapes.
Local observations
ACG records Guanacaste; museum specimens document Carara/La Cangreja and the Osa Peninsula. Tags reflect documented regional connections and are not an exhaustive distribution map.
When to observe
Visit in daylight and compare leaves, flowers and fruits. Flowering and fruiting vary by place, weather and individual plant; a plant may not be in bloom during your visit.
Conservation & care
Observe from paths and leave leaves, bark, flowers and fruits attached. Do not taste wild plants or offer them to pets. Ask a knowledgeable guide to confirm the species.
Observation activity
Draw one leaf and one other feature without picking anything. Compare your sketch with the illustration and record whether you saw flowers, fruits or neither.