NAME: Adansonia digitata
FAMILY: Bombacaceae
COMMON NAMES: Baobab, monkey-bread tree, upside-down tree, cream of tartar tree.
LOCAL NAMES: Ose, Igi-ose, kukaa, kulambali, Gorakh-imli
USEFUL PART(s): Leaves, fruit pulp, bark
GENERAL USE(s):
The leaves are use as animal feed and pasture for ruminant animal.
Fruit pulp is edible and juice can be made from it.
It is a food plant in which the leaves and seeds can be cooked to make feeding better.
Fibres are gotten from the bark to make mats, fishing nets, sacks and cloths.
The wood is used for timber and fuel.
GEOGRAPHIC DISTRIBUTION
Namibia
Nigeria
Angola
Ghana
Cameroon
Congo
Ethiopia
Sudan
Haiti
India
South Africa
WHY IS IT GREEN?
Adansonia digitata medicinal uses include
Malaria
Asthma
Diarrhea
Kidney and bladder diseases
Demulcent
Prophylactic
Antihistaminic
Skin diseases
Caries
Antimicrobial
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT
It improves the soil by shedding its leaves
It can be grown for shade and sheltering
Support biodiversity
OTHER IMPACT
The plant stores water
Ornamental purpose
FURTHER READINGS
Abdulkarim, S.M, Bamalli Z, G. M. . and K. R. (2014). Baobab Tree ( Adansonia digitata L ) Parts : Nutrition , Applications in Food and Uses in Ethno-medicine – A Review. Austin Publishing Group, 1(3), 1–9. https://doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.1.1966.7602
Gebauer, J., Whitney, C. W., & Tabuti, J. R. S. (2016). First record of baobab (Adansonia digitata L.) in Uganda. Genetic Resources and Crop Evolution, 63(5), 755–762. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10722-016-0387-y
Nwokocha, L. M., & Williams, P. A. (2016). Rheological properties of a polysaccharide isolated from Adansonia digitata leaves. Food Hydrocolloids, 58, 29–34. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodhyd.2016.02.013
Rahul, J., Jain, M. K., Singh, S. P., Kamal, R. K., Anuradha, Naz, A., … Mrityunjay, S. K. (2015). Adansonia digitata L. (baobab): A review of traditional information and taxonomic description. Asian Pacific Journal of Tropical Biomedicine, 5(1), 79–84. https://doi.org/10.1016/S2221-1691(15)30174-X
Sharma, B. K., Bhat, A. A., & Jain, A. K. (2015). Adansonia digitata L. (Malvaceae) a threatened tree species of medicinal importance. Medicinal Plants. https://doi.org/10.5958/0975-6892.2015.00025.8
Tahia, F., Majumder, P., Sikder, M. A. A., & Rashid, M. A. (2015). Studies of bioactivities of adansonia digitata (L.). Dhaka University Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences, 14(2), 157–162.
Tembo, D. T., Holmes, M. J., & Marshall, L. J. (2017). Effect of thermal treatment and storage on bioactive compounds, organic acids and antioxidant activity of baobab fruit (Adansonia digitata) pulp from Malawi. Journal of Food Composition and Analysis, 58, 40–51. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jfca.2017.01.002
Woodborne, S., Hall, G., Robertson, I., Patrut, A., Rouault, M., Loader, N. J., & Hofmeyr, M. (2015). A 1000-year carbon isotope rainfall proxy record from South African baobab trees (Adansonia digitata L.). PLoS ONE, 10(5). https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0124202