The Jerusalem Botanical Gardens

Common name: Grandidier's Baobab, אדנסוניית גרנדידייה, אדנסוניית גרנדידייה

Family: Malvaceae (Mallow)

Distribution: South West Madagascar

Habitat: Dense dry deciduous tropical forests, at an altitude of 0-60m. Since the large trees are fire resistant, they often remain solitary in burnt areas, where the locals collect timber from other trees.

IUCN Red list: Endangered

Life form: Broad leaved tree

Uses: Medicine - the bark, roots, leaves, fruit, and seeds were widely used for medicinal applications for both people and animals. Food - The large fruit contains a dry, sour pulp, high in vitamin C, that wasa used to make candy, porridge, and a sour drink. The seeds are roasted or pressed for cooking oil. The young leaves and tuberous taproots are eaten. Fiber - The inner bark is harvested to make ropes.

Conservation: Found only in a restricted area in South West Madagascar, the tree is threatened by habitat destruction, the small number of mature specimens. and poor regeneration. The tree is classified as 'Endangered' in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species

Remarks: One of the symbols of Madagascar, this tree is considered sacred. According to legends, the spiritual ancestors of the local inhabitants are believed to reside in these trees. The tree is mentioned in the book "The Little Prince" by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, as the tree threatening to cover the prince's entire planet.

Etymology: Adansonia - named after Michel Adanson, an 18th century Frenchnaturalist. The tree's common name is Grandidier's Baobab. The name Baobab is a perversion of the Arabic term"father of many seeds". while the spieces' ephitet is named after Alfred Grandidier, a plant collector in Madagascar in the 19th century.

In memory: of Nizza Yaffe-Ovadia, a teacher of nature and life.

Description: A massive and impressive deciduous tree. Up to 25 m tall. The trunk is wide, cylindrical and long, 3-5 m in diameter. It is used to store water for periods of drought. The bark is grayish-red. At the top of the trunk there is a sparse crown, of short, sturdy branches.. The leaves are palmate, bluish-green, that are shed rapidly once the rainy season is over. The flowers are large and white, they pend on long stalks. The flowers are 20 cm wide and have many stamens (as many as 1,500 stamens per flower). The fruit is oval, pointed at the edge.It is brown, up to 30 cm long, is covered with felt-like hair. and contain many seeds.