Adansonia
Encyclopedia
Adansonia is a genus of eight species of tree, six native to Madagascar
, one native to mainland Africa
and the Arabian Peninsula
and one to Australia
. The mainland African species also occurs on Madagascar, but it is not a native of that island.
A typical common name is baobab. Other common names include boab, boaboa, bottle tree, upside-down tree, and monkey bread tree. The generic name honours Michel Adanson
, the French naturalist and explorer who described A. digitata.
- an African baobab specimen in Limpopo Province, South Africa
, often considered the largest example alive, up to recent times had a circumference
of 47 metres (154.2 ft). Its diameter is estimated at about 15.9 metres (52.2 ft). Recently the tree split up into two parts and it is possible that the stoutest tree now is Sunland baobab
, also in South Africa. The diameter of this tree is 10.64 m, with an approximate circumference of 33.4 metres.
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.
. Within that biome
, A. madagascariensis and A. rubrostipa occur specifically in the Anjajavy Forest
, sometimes growing out of the tsingy
limestone
itself.
A. digitata has been photographed growing in salt plains and by the sea, so may be a halophyte
(salt tolerant).
-_young_tree_in_hyderabad_w_img_8273.jpg)
inside the swollen trunk (up to 120000 litres (31,700.6 US gal)) to endure the harsh drought conditions particular to each region. All occur in seasonally arid
areas, and are deciduous
, shedding their leaves
during the dry season.
-rich raw material for consumer products.
The leaves are commonly used as a leaf vegetable
throughout the area of mainland African distribution, including Malawi
, Zambia
, Zimbabwe
, and the Sahel
. They are eaten both fresh and as a dry powder. In Nigeria
, the leaves are locally known as kuka, and are used to make kuka soup.
The fruit offers some nutrients, possibly having more vitamin C
than orange
s, and perhaps significant calcium
content, but nutrient qualities of the dried fruit powder available in some developed countries remain undefined scientifically.
The dry fruit pulp, separated from seeds and fibers, is eaten directly or mixed into porridge
or milk
, and is also known as "sour gourd" or "monkey's bread". In Malawi, the fruit pulp is used to make juice. In Zimbabwe, the fruit is known as mawuyu in the Shona language
and has long been a traditional fruit. In the coastal areas of Kenya
, baobab seeds, called mbuyu, are cooked with sugar, colored, and sold as a snack. Mabuyu is also the term used in Tanzania
for seeds of the calabash
gourd, which are prepared in a similar fashion.
The fruit can be used to produce cream of tartar. 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 umbuyu.
The seeds are mostly used as a thickener for soup
s, 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
.
The dry pulp is either eaten fresh or used to add to gruels on cooling after cooking – a good way of preserving the vitamin contents. It can also be ground to make a refreshing drink with a pleasing wine-gum flavour. In Tanzania
, it is added to aid fermentation of sugar cane for beer making.
Pulp can be stored for fairly long periods for use in soft drink production, but it needs airtight containers. Storage is improved by the use of sodium metabisulphite (Ibiyemi et al., 1988). It can also be frozen if ground to a powder.
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.
Pepsi Japan has used baobabs in a limited-edition carbonated soda called Baobab Pepsi that is described as having a citrus taste.
The whole fruit of the baobab is not available in the EU
, as current EU legislation from 1997 dictates that foods not commonly consumed in the EU have to be formally approved before going on sale. On 15 July 2008, the EU authorized the use of baobab dried fruit pulp as a food ingredient in smoothie
s and cereal bars. More recently, dried fruit pulp achieved GRAS
status for these same food uses.
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.
Madagascar
The Republic of Madagascar is an island country located in the Indian Ocean off the southeastern coast of Africa...
, one native to mainland Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
and the Arabian Peninsula
Arabian Peninsula
The Arabian Peninsula is a land mass situated north-east of Africa. Also known as Arabia or the Arabian subcontinent, it is the world's largest peninsula and covers 3,237,500 km2...
and one to Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. The mainland African species also occurs on Madagascar, but it is not a native of that island.
A typical common name is baobab. Other common names include boab, boaboa, bottle tree, upside-down tree, and monkey bread tree. The generic name honours Michel Adanson
Michel Adanson
Michel Adanson was a French naturalist of Scottish descent.Adanson was born at Aix-en-Provence. His family moved to Paris on 1730. After leaving the College Sainte Barbe he was employed in the cabinets of R. A. F. Reaumur and Bernard de Jussieu, as well as in the Jardin des Plantes. At the end of...
, the French naturalist and explorer who described A. digitata.
Description
Adansonias reach heights of 5 to 30 m (16.4 to 98.4 ft) and have trunk diameters of 7 to 11 m (23 to 36.1 ft). Glencoe baobabGlencoe Baobab
Glencoe Baobab is the stoutest and second largest baobab in South Africa, and possibly the stoutest tree in the world. The tree is located in Glencoe Farm, near Hoedspruit, Limpopo Province and had a trunk diameter 15.9 metres....
- an African baobab specimen in Limpopo Province, South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
, often considered the largest example alive, up to recent times had a circumference
Circumference
The circumference is the distance around a closed curve. Circumference is a special perimeter.-Circumference of a circle:The circumference of a circle is the length around it....
of 47 metres (154.2 ft). Its diameter is estimated at about 15.9 metres (52.2 ft). Recently the tree split up into two parts and it is possible that the stoutest tree now is Sunland baobab
Sunland Baobab
Sunland Baobab is a well-known enormous baobab in South Africa. The tree is located on Sunland Farm , near Modjadjiskloof , Limpopo Province...
, also in South Africa. The diameter of this tree is 10.64 m, with an approximate circumference of 33.4 metres.
Some baobabs are reputed to be many thousands of years old, which is difficult to verify, as the wood
Wood
Wood is a hard, fibrous tissue found in many trees. It has been used for hundreds of thousands of years for both fuel and as a construction material. It is an organic material, a natural composite of cellulose fibers embedded in a matrix of lignin which resists compression...
does not produce annual growth rings, though radiocarbon dating
Radiocarbon dating
Radiocarbon dating is a radiometric dating method that uses the naturally occurring radioisotope carbon-14 to estimate the age of carbon-bearing materials up to about 58,000 to 62,000 years. Raw, i.e. uncalibrated, radiocarbon ages are usually reported in radiocarbon years "Before Present" ,...
may be able to provide age data.
Occurrence
The Malagasy species are important components of the Madagascar dry deciduous forestsMadagascar dry deciduous forests
The Madagascar dry deciduous forests represent a tropical dry forest ecoregion generally situated in the western part of Madagascar. The area has high numbers of endemic plant and animal species but has suffered large-scale clearance for agriculture...
. Within that biome
Biome
Biomes are climatically and geographically defined as similar climatic conditions on the Earth, such as communities of plants, animals, and soil organisms, and are often referred to as ecosystems. Some parts of the earth have more or less the same kind of abiotic and biotic factors spread over a...
, A. madagascariensis and A. rubrostipa occur specifically in the Anjajavy Forest
Anjajavy Forest
Anjajavy Forest is an element of the Madagascar dry deciduous forests situated on the Indian Ocean of northwest Madagascar. The Anjajavy Forest surrounds the village of Anjajavy and provides a habitat for many rare and endangered species. It covers roughly fifty square kilometres, and occupies a...
, sometimes growing out of the tsingy
Karst topography
Karst topography is a geologic formation shaped by the dissolution of a layer or layers of soluble bedrock, usually carbonate rock such as limestone or dolomite, but has also been documented for weathering resistant rocks like quartzite given the right conditions.Due to subterranean drainage, there...
limestone
Limestone
Limestone is a sedimentary rock composed largely of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of calcium carbonate . Many limestones are composed from skeletal fragments of marine organisms such as coral or foraminifera....
itself.
A. digitata has been photographed growing in salt plains and by the sea, so may be a halophyte
Halophyte
A halophyte is a plant that grows where it is affected by salinity in the root area or by salt spray, such as in saline semi-deserts, mangrove swamps, marshes and sloughs, and seashores. An example of a halophyte is the salt marsh grass Spartina alterniflora . Relatively few plant species are...
(salt tolerant).
Species
- Adansonia digitataAdansonia digitataAdansonia digitata is the most widespread of the Adansonia species on the African continent, found in the hot, dry savannahs of sub-Saharan Africa. It also grows, having spread secondary to cultivation, in populated areas...
L. – African Baobab (western, northeastern, central & southern AfricaAfricaAfrica is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
, and in OmanOmanOman , officially called the Sultanate of Oman , is an Arab state in southwest Asia on the southeast coast of the Arabian Peninsula. It is bordered by the United Arab Emirates to the northwest, Saudi Arabia to the west, and Yemen to the southwest. The coast is formed by the Arabian Sea on the...
and YemenYemenThe Republic of Yemen , commonly known as Yemen , is a country located in the Middle East, occupying the southwestern to southern end of the Arabian Peninsula. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to the north, the Red Sea to the west, and Oman to the east....
in the Arabian PeninsulaArabian PeninsulaThe Arabian Peninsula is a land mass situated north-east of Africa. Also known as Arabia or the Arabian subcontinent, it is the world's largest peninsula and covers 3,237,500 km2...
, AsiaAsiaAsia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...
) - Adansonia grandidieriAdansonia grandidieriAdansonia grandidieri , the biggest and most famous of Madagascar’s six baobabs, is an endangered species in the genus Adansonia. It is endemic to Madagascar. A...
Baill.Henri Ernest BaillonHenri Ernest Baillon was a French botanist and physician. He was born in Calais on November 30, 1827 and died in Paris on July 19, 1895.Baillon spent his professional life as a professor of natural history, and he published numerous works on botany...
– Grandidier's Baobab (MadagascarMadagascarThe Republic of Madagascar is an island country located in the Indian Ocean off the southeastern coast of Africa...
) - Adansonia gregorii F.Muell.Ferdinand von MuellerBaron Sir Ferdinand Jacob Heinrich von Mueller, KCMG was a German-Australian physician, geographer, and most notably, a botanist.-Early life:...
(syn. A. gibbosa) – Boab or Australian Baobab (northwest Australia) - Adansonia madagascariensisAdansonia madagascariensisAdansonia madagascariensis is one of six species of baobab endemic to Madagascar, where it occurs in the Madagascar dry deciduous forests....
Baill. – Madagascar Baobab (Madagascar) - Adansonia perrieriAdansonia perrieriAdansonia perrieri is an endangered species in the genus Adansonia. This species is endemic to Madagascar....
CapuronRené Paul Raymond CapuronRené Paul Raymond Capuron was a French botanist. Capuron was responsible for an extensive amount of work on the tree flora of Madagascar.- Works :Highlights of his work include:* M...
– Perrier's Baobab (North Madagascar) - Adansonia rubrostipaAdansonia rubrostipaAdansonia rubrostipa, commonly known as Fony Baobab is one of the eight species within the baobab genus, within the family Malvaceae. This tree is endemic to western Madagascar and occurs in the Madagascar dry deciduous forests....
Jum. & H.PerrierJoseph Marie Henry Alfred Perrier de la BâthieJoseph Marie Henry Alfred Perrier de la Bâthie was a French botanist who specialized in the plants of Madagascar. He delineated the two chief floristic provinces of Madagascar...
(syn. A. fony) – Fony Baobab (Madagascar) - Adansonia suarezensisAdansonia suarezensisAdansonia suarezensis is an endangered species in the genus Adansonia. It is endemic to Madagascar....
H.Perrier – Suarez Baobab (Diego Suarez, Madagascar) - Adansonia zaAdansonia zaAdansonia za, common name Baobab, is a species of flowering plant in the genus Adansonia belonging to the Malvaceae family.-Description:...
Baill. – Za Baobab (Madagascar)
Water storage
Baobabs store waterWater
Water is a chemical substance with the chemical formula H2O. A water molecule contains one oxygen and two hydrogen atoms connected by covalent bonds. Water is a liquid at ambient conditions, but it often co-exists on Earth with its solid state, ice, and gaseous state . Water also exists in a...
inside the swollen trunk (up to 120000 litres (31,700.6 US gal)) to endure the harsh drought conditions particular to each region. All occur in seasonally arid
Arid
A region is said to be arid when it is characterized by a severe lack of available water, to the extent of hindering or even preventing the growth and development of plant and animal life...
areas, and are deciduous
Deciduous
Deciduous means "falling off at maturity" or "tending to fall off", and is typically used in reference to trees or shrubs that lose their leaves seasonally, and to the shedding of other plant structures such as petals after flowering or fruit when ripe...
, shedding their leaves
Leaf
A leaf is an organ of a vascular plant, as defined in botanical terms, and in particular in plant morphology. Foliage is a mass noun that refers to leaves as a feature of plants....
during the dry season.
Uses
Since 2008, there has been increasing interest for developing baobab as a nutrientNutrient
A nutrient is a chemical that an organism needs to live and grow or a substance used in an organism's metabolism which must be taken in from its environment. They are used to build and repair tissues, regulate body processes and are converted to and used as energy...
-rich raw material for consumer products.
The leaves are commonly used as a leaf vegetable
Leaf vegetable
Leaf vegetables, also called potherbs, green vegetables, greens, leafy greens or salad greens, are plant leaves eaten as a vegetable, sometimes accompanied by tender petioles and shoots...
throughout the area of mainland African distribution, including Malawi
Malawi
The Republic of Malawi is a landlocked country in southeast Africa that was formerly known as Nyasaland. It is bordered by Zambia to the northwest, Tanzania to the northeast, and Mozambique on the east, south and west. The country is separated from Tanzania and Mozambique by Lake Malawi. Its size...
, Zambia
Zambia
Zambia , officially the Republic of Zambia, is a landlocked country in Southern Africa. The neighbouring countries are the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the north, Tanzania to the north-east, Malawi to the east, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Botswana and Namibia to the south, and Angola to the west....
, Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe is a landlocked country located in the southern part of the African continent, between the Zambezi and Limpopo rivers. It is bordered by South Africa to the south, Botswana to the southwest, Zambia and a tip of Namibia to the northwest and Mozambique to the east. Zimbabwe has three...
, and the Sahel
Sahel
The Sahel is the ecoclimatic and biogeographic zone of transition between the Sahara desert in the North and the Sudanian Savannas in the south.It stretches across the North African continent between the Atlantic Ocean and the Red Sea....
. They are eaten both fresh and as a dry powder. In Nigeria
Nigeria
Nigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in...
, the leaves are locally known as kuka, and are used to make kuka soup.
The fruit offers some nutrients, possibly having more vitamin C
Vitamin C
Vitamin C or L-ascorbic acid or L-ascorbate is an essential nutrient for humans and certain other animal species. In living organisms ascorbate acts as an antioxidant by protecting the body against oxidative stress...
than orange
Orange (fruit)
An orange—specifically, the sweet orange—is the citrus Citrus × sinensis and its fruit. It is the most commonly grown tree fruit in the world....
s, and perhaps significant calcium
Calcium
Calcium is the chemical element with the symbol Ca and atomic number 20. It has an atomic mass of 40.078 amu. Calcium is a soft gray alkaline earth metal, and is the fifth-most-abundant element by mass in the Earth's crust...
content, but nutrient qualities of the dried fruit powder available in some developed countries remain undefined scientifically.
The dry fruit pulp, separated from seeds and fibers, is eaten directly or mixed into porridge
Porridge
Porridge is a dish made by boiling oats or other cereal meals in water, milk, or both. It is usually served hot in a bowl or dish...
or milk
Milk
Milk is a white liquid produced by the mammary glands of mammals. It is the primary source of nutrition for young mammals before they are able to digest other types of food. Early-lactation milk contains colostrum, which carries the mother's antibodies to the baby and can reduce the risk of many...
, and is also known as "sour gourd" or "monkey's bread". In Malawi, the fruit pulp is used to make juice. In Zimbabwe, the fruit is known as mawuyu in the Shona language
Shona language
Shona is a Bantu language, native to the Shona people of Zimbabwe and southern Zambia; the term is also used to identify peoples who speak one of the Shona language dialects: Zezuru, Karanga, Manyika, Ndau and Korekore...
and has long been a traditional fruit. In the coastal areas of Kenya
Kenya
Kenya , officially known as the Republic of Kenya, is a country in East Africa that lies on the equator, with the Indian Ocean to its south-east...
, baobab seeds, called mbuyu, are cooked with sugar, colored, and sold as a snack. Mabuyu is also the term used in Tanzania
Tanzania
The United Republic of Tanzania is a country in East Africa bordered by Kenya and Uganda to the north, Rwanda, Burundi, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the west, and Zambia, Malawi, and Mozambique to the south. The country's eastern borders lie on the Indian Ocean.Tanzania is a state...
for seeds of the calabash
Calabash
Lagenaria siceraria , bottle gourd, opo squash or long melon is a vine grown for its fruit, which can either be harvested young and used as a vegetable, or harvested mature, dried, and used as a bottle, utensil, or pipe. For this reason, the calabash is widely known as the bottle gourd...
gourd, which are prepared in a similar fashion.
The fruit can be used to produce cream of tartar. 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 umbuyu.
The seeds are mostly used as a thickener for soup
Soup
Soup is a generally warm food that is made by combining ingredients such as meat and vegetables with stock, juice, water, or another liquid. Hot soups are additionally characterized by boiling solid ingredients in liquids in a pot until the flavors are extracted, forming a broth.Traditionally,...
s, but may also be fermented
Fermentation (food)
Fermentation in food processing typically is the conversion of carbohydrates to alcohols and carbon dioxide or organic acids using yeasts, bacteria, or a combination thereof, under anaerobic conditions. Fermentation in simple terms is the chemical conversion of sugars into ethanol...
into a seasoning
Seasoning
Seasoning is the process of imparting flavor to, or improving the flavor of, food.- General meaning :Seasonings include herbs and spices, which are themselves frequently referred to as "seasonings"...
, roasted
Roasting
Roasting is a cooking method that uses dry heat, whether an open flame, oven, or other heat source. Roasting usually causes caramelization or Maillard browning of the surface of the food, which is considered by some as a flavor enhancement. Roasting uses more indirect, diffused heat , and is...
for direct consumption, or pounded to extract vegetable oil. The tree also provides a source of fiber
Fiber crop
Fiber crops are field crops grown for their fibers, which are traditionally used to make paper, cloth, or rope. The fibers may be chemically modified, like in viscose or cellophane...
, dye
Dye
A dye is a colored substance that has an affinity to the substrate to which it is being applied. The dye is generally applied in an aqueous solution, and requires a mordant to improve the fastness of the dye on the fiber....
, and fuel
Fuel
Fuel is any material that stores energy that can later be extracted to perform mechanical work in a controlled manner. Most fuels used by humans undergo combustion, a redox reaction in which a combustible substance releases energy after it ignites and reacts with the oxygen in the air...
.
The dry pulp is either eaten fresh or used to add to gruels on cooling after cooking – a good way of preserving the vitamin contents. It can also be ground to make a refreshing drink with a pleasing wine-gum flavour. In Tanzania
Tanzania
The United Republic of Tanzania is a country in East Africa bordered by Kenya and Uganda to the north, Rwanda, Burundi, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the west, and Zambia, Malawi, and Mozambique to the south. The country's eastern borders lie on the Indian Ocean.Tanzania is a state...
, it is added to aid fermentation of sugar cane for beer making.
Pulp can be stored for fairly long periods for use in soft drink production, but it needs airtight containers. Storage is improved by the use of sodium metabisulphite (Ibiyemi et al., 1988). It can also be frozen if ground to a powder.
Indigenous Australians
Indigenous Australians are the original inhabitants of the Australian continent and nearby islands. The Aboriginal Indigenous Australians migrated from the Indian continent around 75,000 to 100,000 years ago....
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
Derby, Western Australia
Derby is a town in the Kimberley region of Western Australia. At the 2006 census, Derby had a population of 3,093. Along with Broome and Kununurra, it is one of only three towns in the Kimberley to have a population over 2,000...
was used in the 1890s as a prison for Aboriginal convicts on their way to Derby for sentencing. The Boab Prison Tree
Boab Prison Tree
The Boab Prison Tree is a large hollow Adansonia gregorii tree just south of Derby, Western Australia. It is reputed to have been used in the 1890s as a lockup for Indigenous Australian prisoners on their way to Derby for sentencing...
still stands and is now a tourist attraction.
Pepsi Japan has used baobabs in a limited-edition carbonated soda called Baobab Pepsi that is described as having a citrus taste.
The whole fruit of the baobab is not available in the EU
European Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
, as current EU legislation from 1997 dictates that foods not commonly consumed in the EU have to be formally approved before going on sale. On 15 July 2008, the EU authorized the use of baobab dried fruit pulp as a food ingredient in smoothie
Smoothie
A smoothie is a blended and sometimes sweetened beverage made from fresh fruit and in special cases can contain chocolate or peanut butter. In addition to fruit, many smoothies include crushed ice, frozen fruit, honey or contain syrup and ice ingredients...
s and cereal bars. More recently, dried fruit pulp achieved GRAS
Gras
Gras is a commune in the Ardèche department in southern France.-Population:-References:*...
status for these same food uses.
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.
Culture and myths (not cultivation)
- Tabaldi is the name of the baobab tree in Sudan, and its fruit is gongalis. Baobab's trunk is used as a tank to store water. People in west Sudan use the hollow in the trunk to save water in the rainy season. Gongalis is used to make juice or to cure stomach and other diseases.
- Baobab trees are also seen in the mountain region of Saudi Arabia, near Al BahahAl BahahAl Bahah is a city in the south west of Saudi Arabia. It is the capital of Al Bahah Province nestled between the resorts of Taif and Abha, Al Baha is one of the Kingdom’s prime tourist attractions. It enjoys a pleasant climate and is surrounded by more than forty forests, including Raghdan, al...
. - Rafiki, in The Lion KingThe Lion KingThe Lion King is a 1994 American animated film produced by Walt Disney Feature Animation and released by Walt Disney Pictures. It is the 32nd feature in the Walt Disney Animated Classics series...
, makes his home in a baobab tree. - Ernst HaeckelErnst HaeckelThe "European War" became known as "The Great War", and it was not until 1920, in the book "The First World War 1914-1918" by Charles à Court Repington, that the term "First World War" was used as the official name for the conflict.-Research:...
mentions "monkey bread-fruit trees" (Adansonia) in his The History of Creation (Chap. 29), and claims their "individual life exceeds a period of five thousand years". - The owners of Sunland Farm in LimpopoLimpopoLimpopo is the northernmost province of South Africa. The capital is Polokwane, formerly named Pietersburg. The province was formed from the northern region of Transvaal Province in 1994, and initially named Northern Transvaal...
, South AfricaSouth AfricaThe Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
have built a pub called "The Big Baobab Pub" inside the hollow trunk of the 22 metres (72.2 ft) high Sunland baobabSunland BaobabSunland Baobab is a well-known enormous baobab in South Africa. The tree is located on Sunland Farm , near Modjadjiskloof , Limpopo Province...
. The tree is 47 m (155 ft) in circumference, and is reported to have been carbon dated at over 6,000 years old. - The Senegalese band Orchestra Baobab is named for the Baobab Club in DakarDakarDakar is the capital city and largest city of Senegal. It is located on the Cap-Vert Peninsula on the Atlantic coast and is the westernmost city on the African mainland...
, which in turn takes its name from the tree. - Singer Regina SpektorRegina SpektorRegina Ilyinichna Spektor is a Russian American singer-songwriter and pianist. Her music is associated with the anti-folk scene centered in New York City's East Village.-Early life:...
has a song called "Baobabs". - Baobabs are cited in The Little PrinceThe Little PrinceThe Little Prince , first published in 1943, is a novella and the most famous work of the French aristocrat writer, poet and pioneering aviator Antoine de Saint-Exupéry ....
as a tree that may "split" a small planet into pieces. - The Savanaur Baobabs are three trees of 14–18 m girth, believed to be 5000 years old, which can be found in Savanur, Karnataka, India.
- In parts of ZambiaZambiaZambia , officially the Republic of Zambia, is a landlocked country in Southern Africa. The neighbouring countries are the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the north, Tanzania to the north-east, Malawi to the east, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Botswana and Namibia to the south, and Angola to the west....
and ZimbabweZimbabweZimbabwe is a landlocked country located in the southern part of the African continent, between the Zambezi and Limpopo rivers. It is bordered by South Africa to the south, Botswana to the southwest, Zambia and a tip of Namibia to the northwest and Mozambique to the east. Zimbabwe has three...
, local lore states that God was so displeased by the taste of the fruit of the baobab that he turned it upside down so that its roots are on top, thus giving it the odd shape.
Further reading
- Braun, K. (1900) Beiträge zur Anatomie der Adansonia digitata L. F. Reinhardt, Universitäts-Buchdruckerei, Basel, OCLC 15926986