adansonia

 

  • It is large, oval to round, and berry-like in most species (usually less than 10 centimetres (3.9 in) long in A.

  • A. gibbosa is the only species with fruits that crack while still on the tree, which then tend to break open upon landing on the ground.

  • These are species with flower buds that set on short pedicles and that are approximately twice as long as wide.

  • The tree has since split into two parts, so the widest individual trunk may now be that of the Sunland baobab, or Platland tree, also in South Africa.

  • Adansonia is a genus made up of eight species of medium to large deciduous trees known as baobabs (/ˈbeɪoʊˌbæb/).

  • [9][10] Description General Baobabs are long-lived deciduous, small to large trees from 5 to 30 m tall[8] with broad trunks and compact crowns.

  • [12] Flowers may remain attached to the trees for several days, but the reproductive phase is very short, with pollen shed during the first night and stigmas shriveled by
    the morning.

  • [6] They are among the most long-lived of vascular plants[7] and have large flowers that are reproductive for a maximum of 15 hours.

  • [8] The trunk is made of fibrous wood arranged in concentric rings, although rings are not always formed annually and so cannot be used to determine the age of individual
    trees.

  • They also have flowers/ fruits set on short pedicels, but the flower buds are 5 or more times as long as wide.

  • Some high-elevation trees in Tanzania show different genetics and morphology but further study is needed to determine if recognition of them as a separate species is warrented.

  • [25] One called Grandmother is made up of three fused trunks of different ages, with the oldest part of the tree an estimated 1,600 years old.

  • [8] Baobab trees have two types of shoots—long, green vegetative ones, and stout, woody reproductive ones.

  • This species has hanging flowers and fruit, set on long flowering stalks.

  • [8] The fruits are large, oval to round and berry-like and hold kidney-shaped seeds in a dry, pulpy matrix.

  • Indigenous Australians used the native species A. gregorii for several products, making string from the root fibers and decorative crafts from the fruits.

  • Inside the outer shell, kidney-shaped seeds 10-15(-20) mm long are set in a dry pulp.

  • [2] Trees have also been introduced to other regions such as Asia.

  • [5] The baobab is also known as the “upside down tree”, a name that originates from several myths.

  • A. digitata however often have massive single or multiple trunks of up to 10 m (33 ft) diameter.

  • In most species, the shell is indehiscent (does not break open easily).

  • Leaves have 5-11 leaflets, with the largest ones in the middle and may be stalkless or with short petioles.

  • [10] Baobabs are important as nest sites for birds, in particular the mottled spinetail[23] and four species of weaver.

  • There is usually only a single flower in an axil, but sometimes flowers occur in pairs.

  • The locals call it “Gongolaze” and use its fruits as food and medicine and use the tree trunks as reservoirs to save water.

  • [25] Food uses Leaves Leaves may be eaten as a leaf vegetable.

  • Young trees usually have slender, tapering trunks, often with a swollen base.

  • [11] Tree diameter fluctuates with rainfall so it is thought that water may be stored in the trunk.

  • Petals are set near the base of the staminal tube and are variable in shape and colour.

  • Species As of July 2020, there are eight recognized species of Adansonia, with six endemic to Madagascar, one native to mainland Africa and the Arabian Peninsula, and one
    native to Australia.

 

Works Cited

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Photo credit: https://www.flickr.com/photos/centralasian/7335886184/’]