Adansonia digitata
Details Top
| Internal ID | UUID64400752230ed681214722 |
| Scientific name | Adansonia digitata |
| Authority | L. |
| First published in | Syst. Nat. ed. 10 2: 1144, 1382 (1759) |
General Uses Top
Suggest a correction!Common products:
Adansonia digitata yields fruit powder from the dried pulp, seed oil, and flour from the seeds. These products are processed and distributed internationally as food ingredients and cosmetic oils.
Industrial and craft applications:
The spongy, water-storing stem wood is of limited use due to poor durability. It is traditionally carved into vessels, boards, and floating aids. Fiber extracted from the inner bark (bast fiber) is used to make cordage, mats, and woven textiles. Research indicates potential as lignocellulosic biomass for bioethanol production due to its high cellulose and hemicellulose content.
Food and beverages (non-medicinal):
Dried fruit pulp provides a slightly tart, acidic powder used as a flavoring, natural acidulant, and component in beverages, dairy products, baked goods, and supplements. Its acidity (~3% citric acid) contributes to its use. Seed kernels yield oil high in linoleic and oleic acids, suitable for culinary purposes (e.g., frying, salad dressings). Roasted or fermented seed flour serves as a protein-rich ingredient in porridges and beverages.
Colorants and tanning:
The bark and fruit shells contain hydrolysable tannins (e.g., gallotannins) used for leather tanning. They yield brown or reddish-brown dyes historically employed for textiles and fishing nets. The dried pulp's brown pigment is utilized as a natural food and cosmetic colorant (E number varies by jurisdiction).
Wood and fiber:
The soft, light, spongy wood lacks structural strength. Sawed timber produces boards and planks for low-load carpentry, carvings, and canoes. Inner bast fibers, noted for tensile strength and absorbency, are processed into ropes, sacks, fishing nets, and coarse fabrics.
Fragrance and cosmetics:
The seed oil, rich in fatty acids, is used in soaps, ointments, and skin and hair care formulations. It is valued for its emollient properties. The fruit pulp's acidic nature contributes to product pH adjustment. Dried pulp is sometimes incorporated into body scrubs for exfoliation.
Properties relevant to use:
High pulp acidity (~3% citric acid) drives flavoring and preservative functions. Hydrolyzable bark tannins (~20–25%) enable leather tanning and dye mordanting. Bast fibers exhibit good tensile strength (specific strength ~400 MPa·m³/kg) and water absorption. Seed oil shows linoleic acid content (~30–35%) and oleic acid (~25–30%) suited to emulsion stability in cosmetics.
Standards and regulation:
Fruit pulp powder as a novel food ingredient is regulated by the European Union (EU Novel Food Regulation (EU) 2015/2283). Cosmetic ingredient regulations (EU Cosmetic Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009) apply to the oil and pulp.
Sustainability and sourcing:
Wild harvesting in sub-Saharan Africa presents sustainability concerns due to slow growth and overexploitation for products like edible pulp and bark. Initiatives promoting cultivation and controlled harvesting exist. Main threats to populations are habitat loss and fragmentation.
Synonyms Top
| Scientific name | Authority | First published in |
|---|---|---|
| Adansonia bahobab | L. | Sp. Pl. ed. 2 : 960 (1763) |
| Adansonia baobab | Gaertn. | Fruct. Sem. Pl. 2: 253 (1791) |
| Adansonia integrifolia | Raf. | Sylva Tellur. : 149 (1838) |
| Adansonia scutula | Steud. | Nomencl. Bot. , ed. 2, 1: 24 (1840) |
| Adansonia situla | (Lour.) Spreng. | Syst. Veg. 3: 124 (1826) |
| Adansonia somalensis | Chiov. | Fl. Somala 2: 29, in ic., 30, in obs. 1932 |
| Adansonia sphaerocarpa | A.Chev. | Compt. Rend. Congr. Intern. Bot. : 271 (1900 publ. 1901) |
| Adansonia sulcata | A.Chev. | Bull. Soc. Bot. France 53: 49 (1906) |
| Baobabus digitata | Kuntze | Revis. Gen. Pl. 1: 67 (1891) |
| Ophelus sitularius | Lour. | Fl. Cochinch. : 412 (1790) |
| Adansonia kilima | Pettigrew, K.L.Bell, Bhagw., Grinan, Jillani, Jean Mey., Wabuyele & C.E.Vickers | Taxon 61(6): 1248. 2012 [14 Dec 2012] |
Common names Top
Add a new one! Suggest a correction!| Language | Common/alternative name |
|---|---|
| English | african baobab |
| English | baobab |
| English | common baobab |
| English | dead-rat tree |
| Spanish | baobab |
| Spanish | arbol del pan del mono |
| Spanish | Árbol del pan del mono |
| Afrikaans | kremetart |
| Afrikaans | afrika-kremetart |
| Afrikaans | dorsboom |
| Afrikaans | kalbasboom |
| Amharic | ባምባ |
| ann | bawobap |
| Arabic | باوباب إصبعي |
| Arabic | أدانسونية إصبعية |
| Arabic | تبلدي الإصبعي |
| Arabic | خبز القرود الإصبعي |
| Arabic | تبلدي إصبعي |
| Arabic | صندل احمر |
| Azerbaijani | baobab |
| Belarusian | Баабаб |
| Bulgarian | Баобаб |
| Bulgarian | африкански баобаб |
| Bulgarian | същински баобаб |
| Bambara | nsirasun |
| Bambara | sìra |
| Catalan | baobab africà |
| Catalan | baobab africain |
| Czech | baobab prstnatý |
| cv | Баобаб |
| dag | tua |
| German | afrikanischer affenbrotbaum |
| German | afrikanischer baobab |
| German | baobab africain |
| din | dhunyduol |
| Greek | Αδανσονία η δακτυλωτή |
| Persian | آدانسونیا دیجیتاتا |
| Fulah | ɓokki |
| Fulah | Ɓowre |
| Finnish | apinanleipäpuu |
| Finnish | baobab |
| Finnish | baobabpuu |
| fon | lokotín |
| French | baobab africain |
| French | baobab |
| frr | baobab |
| Hausa | kuka |
| Hebrew | באובב |
| Hebrew | אדנסוניה מאוצבעת |
| Hindi | गोरखचिंच |
| Croatian | drvo majmunskog kruha |
| Upper Sorbian | afriski wopiči chlěbowc |
| ht | baobab |
| Hungarian | majomkenyérfa |
| Hungarian | afrikai baobabfa |
| Armenian | Բաոբաբ |
| Indonesian | asem buto |
| Icelandic | apabrauðstré |
| Italian | baobab |
| Japanese | アフリカバオバブ |
| Georgian | ბაობაბი |
| Kazakh | Баобаб |
| Korean | 바오밥나무 |
| koi | Баобаб |
| ku | baobab |
| kv | Баобаб |
| kv | Чуня адансония |
| Lithuanian | tikrasis baobabas |
| Lithuanian | baobab africain |
| Latvian | baobabs |
| mcn | kónkínà |
| Malayalam | അഡൻസോണിയ ഡിജിറ്റാറ്റ |
| Marathi | गोरखचिंच |
| mrj | Баобаб |
| Malay | pokok botol |
| Malay | pokok baobab |
| Dutch | afrikaanse baobab |
| Dutch | afrikaanse apebroodboom |
| Dutch | afrikaanse apenbroodboom |
| Polish | baobab afrykański |
| Portuguese | imbondeiro |
| Romanian | baobab |
| Russian | Баобаб |
| Russian | Адансония африканская |
| Russian | Адансония пальчатая |
| Russian | Баобаб африканский |
| sd | دنگيء درخت |
| Swedish | baobab |
| Swedish | baobab africain |
| Swedish | baobabträd |
| Swahili | mbuyu |
| Tamil | பொந்தன்புளி |
| Telugu | బ్రహ్మ మల్లిక |
| tg | Баобаб |
| Thai | บาวบาบ |
| ts | ximuwu |
| tt | баобаб |
| tt | маймыл агачы |
| udm | Баобаб |
| Ukrainian | адальсонія пальчаста |
| Ukrainian | баобаб африканський |
| Uzbek | baobab |
| xmf | ბაობაბი |
| Chinese | 猴面包树 |
| Chinese | 猴面包果 |
| Chinese | 非洲猴面包树 |
| Chinese | 猢猻樹 |
Germination/Propagation Top
Suggest a correction or add new data!
No germination or propagation data was added yet.
Distribution (via POWO/KEW) Top
Legend for the distribution data:
- Doubtful data
- Extinct
- Introduced
- Native
-
Africa click to expand
-
East Tropical Africa
- Kenya
- Tanzania
- Uganda
-
Northeast Tropical Africa
- Chad
- Eritrea
- Ethiopia
- Somalia
- Sudan
-
South Tropical Africa
- Angola
- Malawi
- Mozambique
- Zambia
- Zimbabwe
-
Southern Africa
- Botswana
- Caprivi Strip
- Namibia
- Northern Provinces
-
West Tropical Africa
- Benin
- Burkina
- Gambia
- Ghana
- Guinea
- Guinea-Bissau
- Ivory Coast
- Mali
- Mauritania
- Niger
- Nigeria
- Senegal
- Sierra Leone
- Togo
-
West-central Tropical Africa
- Cameroon
- Central African Republic
- Congo
- Gulf Of Guinea Islands
- Zaïre
-
Western Indian Ocean
- Comoros
- Madagascar
- Mozambique Channel Islands
-
East Tropical Africa
-
Asia-temperate click to expand
-
Arabian Peninsula
- Oman
- Yemen
-
Arabian Peninsula
-
Asia-tropical click to expand
-
Indian Subcontinent
- Bangladesh
- India
- Sri Lanka
-
Indo-China
- Vietnam
-
Indian Subcontinent
Links to other databases Top
Suggest others/fix!| Database | ID/link to page |
|---|---|
| World Flora Online | wfo-0000519672 |
| UNII | D5B40OA634 |
| USDA Plants | ADDI3 |
| Tropicos | 3900201 |
| INPN | 448518 |
| KEW | urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:558628-1 |
| The Plant List | kew-2621135 |
| Missouri Botanical Garden | 277943 |
| Open Tree Of Life | 659136 |
| Observations.org | 80162 |
| NCBI Taxonomy | 69109 |
| IPNI | 558628-1 |
| iNaturalist | 81500 |
| GBIF | 5406695 |
| Freebase | /m/0cvgll |
| EPPO | AADDI |
| EOL | 584789 |
| Elurikkus | 2549 |
| USDA GRIN | 1433 |
| Wikipedia | Adansonia_digitata |
| PFAF | Adansonia digitata |
| Plantarium | 47657 |
Genomes (via NCBI) Top
Below is displayed the reference genome only!
If you wish to browse all genomes for this plant click here.
If you wish to browse all genomes for this plant click here.
| Accession | Assembly | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Name | Level | Submitter | Released | Coverage | Size | |
| GCA_029448705.1 | ASM2944870v1 | Scaffold | Iridian Genomes | 2023-03-28 | 110 | 655.17 Mb |
Scientific Literature Top
Below are displayed the latest 15 articles published in PMC (PubMed Central®) and other sources (DOI number only)!
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If you wish to see all the related articles click here.
Phytochemical Profile Top
Add a new one!
Below are displayed the proven (via scientific papers) natural compounds!
You can also contribute to this by clicking here.
You can also contribute to this by clicking here.
| Name | PubChem ID | Canonical SMILES | MW | Found in | Proof |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| > Lipids and lipid-like molecules / Prenol lipids / Triterpenoids | |||||
| Friedelan-3-one | 244297 | Click to see | 426.70 | unknown | https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4805152/ |
| Friedelin | 91472 | Click to see | 426.70 | unknown | https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4805152/ |
| > Phenylpropanoids and polyketides / Flavonoids / Flavonoid glycosides / Flavonoid O-glycosides | |||||
| (2R,3S)-5-[(2S,3R,4R,5S,6R)-3,4-dihydroxy-6-(hydroxymethyl)-5-[(2S,3R,4S,5R,6R)-3,4,5-trihydroxy-6-(hydroxymethyl)oxan-2-yl]oxyoxan-2-yl]oxy-3,7-dihydroxy-2-phenyl-2,3-dihydrochromen-4-one | 162904343 | Click to see C1=CC=C(C=C1)C2C(C(=O)C3=C(O2)C=C(C=C3OC4C(C(C(C(O4)CO)OC5C(C(C(C(O5)CO)O)O)O)O)O)O)O | 596.50 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1055/S-2007-969642 |
Collections Top
| In private collections | 0 |
| In public collections | 0 |