Adansonia za


Adansonia za, is a species of baobab in the genus Adansonia of the family Bombacaceae. It was originally named in French as anadzahé. Common names in Malagasy include bojy, boringy, bozy, bozybe, ringy, and za, the last of which gives the plant its specific epithet.

Description

Adansonia za is a large thick-stemmed deciduous tree, about high and about 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 long and 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 long and wide. Petals are long and wide. The flowers are musty-sweet scented. Flowering period extends from November to February. Flowers are usually pollinated by moths of the family Sphingidae. 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 above sea level.

Largest tree

Possibly the largest tree of this species grows near Reakaly village north-west from Ampanihy. The circumference of its trunk is approximately.

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