Adansonia za
Adansonia za
Adansonia za is a plant of the genus baobabs (Adansonia ) in the mallow family ( Malvaceae ). It resembles Adansonia digitata, but has upright, yellow flowers.
- 5.1 Literature
- 5.2 Notes and references
Description
Vegetative characteristics
Adansonia za are usually large, bulky, 10 to 30 meters high deciduous trees with smooth bark violet. Full-grown leaves are palmately divided with 3-7 part leaves and sit at up to 12 centimeters long petioles. The Bald leaf blade is ovate, 5-10 cm long and 1.5 to 2.5 inches wide. The leaf margin is entire.
Inflorescences and flowers
The individual flowers are upright. Their sepals are 10 to 20 centimeters long and 1.2 to 1.5 inches wide. The yellow, linealische corolla is 15 to 20 inches long and 1.2 to 1.5 inches wide. The numerous stamens are fused into a 2-6 inch long tube with 2.5 to 6 centimeters long free tips.
The flowering period extends from November to February. It begins in the north rather than the south.
Fruit and seeds
The mature at the end of the dry season fruits are oblong or ovate. They contain kidney-shaped, laterally flattened seeds.
The seeds have an oil content of 11 percent. The fatty acids are composed of 27 percent palmitic acid, stearic acid 3 percent, 30 percent and 23 percent oleic acid linoleic acid. In addition there are other rare fatty acids.
Systematics, chromosome number and distribution
Adansonia za is endemic spread in deciduous and thorn forests, savannah and scrubland of Andohahela in the southwest of Madagascar, on the west coast to the north ( Boina area and Sambirano River basin).
The first description was made in 1890 by Henri Ernest Baillon.
The chromosome number.
Synonyms for the species are Adansonia za za var, Adansonia za var Bozy Jum. & H. Perrier, Adansonia Bozy ( Jum. & H. Perrier ) H. Perrier, Adansonia za var boinensis H. Perrier and Adansonia alba Jum. & H. Perrier.
Use
Fruit pulp and seeds, and the roots of young seedlings are eaten. The wet wood freshly cut trees is fed in times of scarcity of domestic cattle. The tree trunk is sometimes hollowed out to store water therein. Bark fibers are used in order to produce clothing and rope. The flowers are used medicinally to treat a sore throat.
Endangering
Adansonia za is classified as " Near Threatened (NT) " in the Red List of Threatened Species IUCN.