Baobab Monograph.pdf - Crops for the Future

disc below but divided to half or more above, lobes triangular or oblongtriangular
with apex acute or subacute; green and tomentose outside and
cream and villous within; lobes reflexed. Corolla 5 partite, white; petals
overlapping, obovate about as long as wide (4-)5-9(-10) x (3-)4-8(-12)cm,
apex rounded, base shortly clawed, sparsely hairy or glabrous (except for the
inside of the claw which is densely hairy).
The androecium is made up of a very large number of stamens, 720-1600
forming a lower staminal tube (1.5-)3-5(-6)cm long, tube cylindrical or
tapering; upper filaments of stamens free for about the same length as the
tube and reflexed to form a ring. Anthers are reniform and ca 2mm in length.
The ovary is usually 5-10 locular, with deeply intruded placentae; conical to
globose, silky tomentose with upward-pointing hairs. Style is exserted about
15mm beyond the anthers, reflexed or erect, villous below and glabrous
above and persists after floral abscission. Stigma white with 5-10 irregular
fimbriate-papillose lobes.
Fruits are very variable, usually globose to ovoid but sometimes oblongcylindrical,
often irregular in shape, 7.5-54cm long x 7.5-20cm wide, apex
pointed or obtuse, covered by velvety yellowish hairs (sometimes greenish)
(plate 3). Pericarp 8-10mm thick, woody, enclosing a dry mealy pulp. Seeds
are reniform and embedded in the pulp, dark brown to reddish black with
smooth testa and 10-13 x 8-10 x 4-5mm due to lateral flattening (plate 2).
Seed weight: 2000-3000/kg (von Maydell, 1986). Germination is
phanerocotylar and seedlings have flattened hypocotyl ca 5 x 4cm and
shorter epicotyl. Variation in seedling types has been reported (Srivastava,
1959).
As the key in 2.1.1 shows, A. digitata has a number of clear diagnostic
characters separating it from the other species of the genus. These include
the pendulous flower, the globose buds and broad petals. Additionally the
rounded crown and irregularly distributed branching are useful diagnostic
characters.
2.2 Reproductive biology
2.2.1 Phenology of Adansonia digitata
The flowering time varies greatly; in general flowering can occur anytime
except during the height of the dry season and whether leaves are present or
not. Timing of flowering appears to differ between geographically isolated
populations but this could be due to regional climatic differences.
Flowers open in the late afternoon and this continues through the night and
the number per tree varies from 1 or 2 to 10-50 (Baum, 1995 a) per day and
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