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Adansonia
Baobab is the common name of a genus (Adansonia) containing eight species of trees, native to Madagascar (having six species), mainland Africa and Australia (one species in each). The mainland African species also occurs on Madagascar, but it is not a native of that country. Other common names include boab, boaboa, bottle tree, upside-down tree, and monkey bread tree. The species reach heights of and trunk diameters of . A specimen in Limpopo Province, South Africa, often considered the largest example alive, has a circumference of and an average diameter of .[1] Some baobabs are reputed to be many thousands of years old, which is difficult to verify as the wood does not produce annual growth rings, though radiocarbon dating may be able to provide age data. The Malagasy species are important components of the Madagascar dry deciduous forests. Within that biome, A. madagascariensis and A. rubrostipa occur specifically in the Anjajavy Forest, sometimes growing out of the tsingy limestone itself. Beginning in 2008, there has been increasing interest for developing baobab as a nutrient-rich raw material for consumer products.[2][3]
Species
The name Adansonia honours Michel Adanson, the French naturalist and explorer who described A. digitata. Water storageBaobabs store water inside the swollen trunk (up to ) to endure the harsh drought conditions particular to each region.[4] All occur in seasonally arid areas, and are deciduous, shedding their leaves during the dry season. Uses
The fruit is about 18 cm long The fruit is nutritious possibly having more vitamin C than oranges and exceeding the calcium content of cow's milk.[5] Also known as "sour gourd" or "monkey's bread", the dry fruit pulp separated from seeds and fibers is eaten directly or mixed into porridge or milk. In Malawi, the fruit pulp is used to make a nutrient-rich juice.[5] The fruit was once used in the production of tartar sauce.[2] In various parts of East Africa, the dry fruit pulp is covered in sugary coating (usually with red coloring) and sold in packages as a sweet and sour candy called "boonya" or "bungha". The seeds are mostly used as a thickener for soups, but may also be fermented into a seasoning, roasted for direct consumption, or pounded to extract vegetable oil. The tree also provides a source of fiber, dye, and fuel. Indigenous Australians used baobabs as a source of water and food, and used leaves medicinally. They also painted and carved the outside of the fruits and wore them as ornaments. A very large, hollow baobab south of Derby, Western Australia was used in the 1890s as a prison for Aboriginal convicts on their way to Derby for sentencing. The Boab Prison Tree still stands and is now a tourist attraction. The whole fruit of the baobab is not available in the EU as current EU legislations from 1997 dictate that foods not commonly consumed in the EU have to be formally approved before going on sale. On 15 July 2008, the EU approved parts of the fruit for use in smoothies and cereal bars. Traditional uses of the whole fruit are unlikely outside of Africa as the fruit will be processed for export as a white powder with a cheese-like texture to be used as an ingredient in products.[5] Culture and myths
Adansonia digitata, Tarangire National Park in Tanzania 
Baobab in Recife. Possible inspiration for Saint Exupéry
ReferencesExternal links
Gallery<gallery> Image:Baobab Avenue 1.JPG|Adansonia grandidieri, Avenue of the Baobabs, Madagascar Image:Baobabamrazorback.jpg|Adansonia madagascariensis in a Madagascar dry deciduous forest Image:Adansonia grandidieri02.jpg|Adansonia grandidieri, Madagascar Image:Adansonia grandidieri03.jpg|Adansonia grandidieri, Madagascar Image:SAbaobab.jpg|Baobab in Kruger National Park, South Africa Image:Derby boab, Western Australia.jpg|Boab Adansonia gregorii in Australia Image:Baobab Flowers.jpg|Baobab flowers in Mulund, Mumbai, India </gallery> Further readingaf:Kremetart bs:Baobab ca:Baobab cs:Baobab da:Baobab de:Affenbrotbäume et:Ahvileivapuu el:????????? es:Adansonia eo:Baobabo fr:Adansonia hi:?????? hr:Baobab id:Baobab ia:Baobab it:Adansonia la:Adansonia lt:Baobabas mg:Baobab nl:Baobab ja:???? no:Baobab pl:Baobab pt:Baobá ru:????????? sr:?????? sv:Baobabsläktet vi:Bao báp tr:Baobab uk:?????? zh:???? Source: Wikipedia | The above article is available under the GNU FDL. | Edit this article
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