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Useful Tropical Plants

Adansonia madagascariensis

Baill.

Malvaceae

+ Synonyms

Adansonia bernieri Baill.

Baobabus madagascariensis Kuntze

Common Name:

Adansonia madagascariensis
Flower and leaves
Photograph by: Forest and Kim Starr
Creative Commons License
Adansonia madagascariensis Adansonia madagascariensis Adansonia madagascariensis Adansonia madagascariensis Adansonia madagascariensis

General Information

Adansonia madagascariensis is a deciduous tree with a sparse, irregular crown; it can grow 10 - 30 metres tall. The swollen bole can be bottle-shaped to cylindrical, or tapering, it is usually unbranched until very near the top[
727
Title
Annals of the Missouri Botanical Garden Vol. 82
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
Publisher
Missouri Botanical Garden; St. Louis.
Year
1995
ISBN
0026-6493
Description
A botanical journal containing various articles, including a monograph of the genus Adansonia (Baobabs). It can be downloaded from the Internet.
].
The tree is harvested from the wild for local use as a food and source of fibre.
Little is known of the conservation status of this species, but the clearance of its habitat has been extensive in places. The plant is classified as 'Near Threatened' in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(2011)[
338
Title
IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.iucnredlist.org/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
A list of plants under threat and facing possible extinction, usually with brief details of the threats and information on habitat.
].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

727
Title
Annals of the Missouri Botanical Garden Vol. 82
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
Publisher
Missouri Botanical Garden; St. Louis.
Year
1995
ISBN
0026-6493
Description
A botanical journal containing various articles, including a monograph of the genus Adansonia (Baobabs). It can be downloaded from the Internet.

Range

Eastern tropical Africa - Madagascar.

Habitat

Hillsides in dry deciduous forests in well-drained soil[
385
Title
Bihrmann's Caudiciforms
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.bihrmann.com/caudiciforms/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An internet site giving information on caudiciform plants (plants with swollen stem bases such as the Baobab tree, cycads and many succulents). Excellent photos, usually of cultivated plants in pots.
]. Dry or moist deciduous forest on limestone, sandstone, and gneiss, sometimes growing within metres of the sea[
727
Title
Annals of the Missouri Botanical Garden Vol. 82
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
Publisher
Missouri Botanical Garden; St. Louis.
Year
1995
ISBN
0026-6493
Description
A botanical journal containing various articles, including a monograph of the genus Adansonia (Baobabs). It can be downloaded from the Internet.
].

Properties

Conservation StatusNear Threatened
Edibility Rating *  *
Other Uses Rating *  *
HabitDeciduous Tree
Height20.00 m
Growth RateFast
Cultivation StatusWild

Cultivation Details


Prefers a position in full sun[
385
Title
Bihrmann's Caudiciforms
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.bihrmann.com/caudiciforms/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An internet site giving information on caudiciform plants (plants with swollen stem bases such as the Baobab tree, cycads and many succulents). Excellent photos, usually of cultivated plants in pots.
]. Found in the wild in well-drained soils[
385
Title
Bihrmann's Caudiciforms
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.bihrmann.com/caudiciforms/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An internet site giving information on caudiciform plants (plants with swollen stem bases such as the Baobab tree, cycads and many succulents). Excellent photos, usually of cultivated plants in pots.
]. Established plants are drought tolerant.
A fast-growing tree, it can be 12 - 15 metres tall with a bole 40 - 60cm in diameter after 12 years[
727
Title
Annals of the Missouri Botanical Garden Vol. 82
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
Publisher
Missouri Botanical Garden; St. Louis.
Year
1995
ISBN
0026-6493
Description
A botanical journal containing various articles, including a monograph of the genus Adansonia (Baobabs). It can be downloaded from the Internet.
].

Edible Uses

Edible fruit[
46
Title
Dictionary of Economic Plants.
Publication
 
Author
Uphof. J. C. Th.
Publisher
Weinheim
Year
1959
ISBN
-
Description
An excellent and very comprehensive guide but it only gives very short descriptions of the uses without any details of how to utilize the plants. Not for the casual reader.
]. Hard and dry, this is the least palatable fruit in the genus and so is rarely exploited for food[
727
Title
Annals of the Missouri Botanical Garden Vol. 82
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
Publisher
Missouri Botanical Garden; St. Louis.
Year
1995
ISBN
0026-6493
Description
A botanical journal containing various articles, including a monograph of the genus Adansonia (Baobabs). It can be downloaded from the Internet.
]. The globose to subglobose fruit is often broader than it is long (rarely almost ovoid), it is usually less than 10cm long with a thick, very tough, woody. The seeds are distinctly reniform and laterally flattened, 10 - 11mm long by 7 - 9mm wide and up to 6mm thick[
727
Title
Annals of the Missouri Botanical Garden Vol. 82
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
Publisher
Missouri Botanical Garden; St. Louis.
Year
1995
ISBN
0026-6493
Description
A botanical journal containing various articles, including a monograph of the genus Adansonia (Baobabs). It can be downloaded from the Internet.
].

The swollen roots of young seedlings are cooked and eaten. They are said to make an excellent vegetable[
727
Title
Annals of the Missouri Botanical Garden Vol. 82
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
Publisher
Missouri Botanical Garden; St. Louis.
Year
1995
ISBN
0026-6493
Description
A botanical journal containing various articles, including a monograph of the genus Adansonia (Baobabs). It can be downloaded from the Internet.
].

Medicinal

None known

Other Uses

A fibre is obtained from the bark[
46
Title
Dictionary of Economic Plants.
Publication
 
Author
Uphof. J. C. Th.
Publisher
Weinheim
Year
1959
ISBN
-
Description
An excellent and very comprehensive guide but it only gives very short descriptions of the uses without any details of how to utilize the plants. Not for the casual reader.
].

The rapid growth rate of this tree has led to the wood being recommended as a potential commercial source of cellulose[
727
Title
Annals of the Missouri Botanical Garden Vol. 82
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
Publisher
Missouri Botanical Garden; St. Louis.
Year
1995
ISBN
0026-6493
Description
A botanical journal containing various articles, including a monograph of the genus Adansonia (Baobabs). It can be downloaded from the Internet.
].

Propagation

Seed -
Cite as: Tropical Plants Database, Ken Fern. tropical.theferns.info. 2024-03-28. <tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php?id=Adansonia+madagascariensis>

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