Kingdom Plantae Family Malvaceae Scientific name Adansonia za Rank Species | Order Malvales Genus Adansonia Higher classification Baobab | |
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Similar Baobab, Adansonia madagascariensis, Adansonia rubrostipa, Adansonia suarezensis, Adansonia perrieri | ||
Adansonia za, common name baobab, is a species of flowering plant in the genus Adansonia belonging to the family Bombacaceae.
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Description
Adansonia za is a large thick-stemmed (pachycaul) deciduous tree, about 10–40 metres (33–131 ft) high and about 6 metres (20 ft) in diameter. The trunk and branches have a brownish-rose colored hue. The tree is wide at the base and grows to a narrow point towards the top of the tree. Leaves are palmately lobed with up to 5 lobes per leaf. They are 5 to 10 centimeters long and 1.5 to 2.5 centimeters wide and the leaf margin is entire. The flower buds are long green cylinders which can resemble oversized beans and could be mistaken for a fruit. The bud opens with the curling back of the outside layer of the flower bud, revealing yellow and red petals with yellowish long stamens. The corolla is 15 to 20 centimeters long and 1.2 to 1.5 centimeters wide. Petals are 10 to 20 centimeters long and 1.2 to 1.5 centimeters wide. The flowers are musty-sweet scented. Flowering period extends from November to February. Flowers are usually pollinated by moths of the Sphingidae family. Fruits are usually ovoid with a markedly thickened peduncle. They contain kidney-shaped, laterally flattened seeds. The seeds have an oil content of 11 percent.
Distribution
Adansonia za is endemic to southern and north-western Madagascar, where it is threatened by habitat loss.
Habitat
This plant grows in arid scrublands, in deciduous and thorn forests and in savannah. It prefers sunny areas and well drained soils, at an elevation up to 800 metres (2,600 ft) above sea level.
Largest tree
Possibly the largest tree of this species (by circumference) grows near Reakaly village north-west from Ampanihy. The circumference of its trunk is approximately 23 m.
