Bhat R B (1994) Leaf architecture and its dynamics in the Bombacaeae. Beitrage zur Biologie der Pflanzen, 68(2): 169-179

The architecture of the leaf (leaflets) has been investigated in 3 genera and 3 species of the family Bombacaceae. The mature leaflets from both fresh and herbarium materials were cleared using the customary methods, and terminologies of Hickey (1973) are used to determine the characters of leaf architecture. The whole lamina of the leaflet is more or less symmetrical in all the species studied. The major venation pattern conforms to the camptodromous mixed with festooned brochidodromous and the festooned brochidodromous types. In all the members of the family studied, the primary and secondary veins are ornamented with parenchymatous bundle sheaths. Imperfectly developed areoles are predominant over the developed ones. The size and the shape of the areole is variable. The vein endings may be simple, once or sometimes twice dichotomously branched. The highest venation order of the family is 6 degree . Marginal ultimate venation is looped. Tracheids are either uni-, bi-, tri-, or multi-seriate and vary in shape, size and are commonly found at the free vein endings. Extension cells and isolated tracheids are not common. These characters are of great taxonomic importance.

Breitenbach F von and Breitenbach J von (1974) Baobab flower. Trees in South Africa, 26(1): 10-15

Records the flowering of a large Adansonia digitata tree at Rochdale in the S. African bushveld in Nov.-Dec. 1972 (when ca. 400 flowers were produced), and describes and illustrates in detail each stage in the 24-hour life cycle of a Baobab flower.

Davis T A and Ghosh S S (1976) Morphology of Adansonia digitata. Adansonia, 15(4): 471-479

Gives a brief account of the morphology of A. digitata, and describes a study of the flowers and fruit of five trees grown in Calcutta and of one in Lucknow. Results showed that, on any one tree, there was an equal number of flowers with a right- or left-handed contorted aestivation. The number of stamens per flower varied from 721 to 1600; on average, right-handed flowers bore more stamens than left-handed flowers. Data on diameter of dry and water-soaked pollen grains are also presented.

Delisle H, Bakari S, Gevry G, Picard C and Ferland G (1997) Provitamin A content of traditional green leaves from Niger. Cahiers Agricultures, 6(6): 553-560.

As part of a study on vitamin A intake of preschool children in Niger, traditional green leaves as locally processed were sampled for provitamin A determination, using HPLC (high performance liquid chromatography). A total of 168 samples from 15 plant species were collected from three different villages in western Niger, two in Bouza district and one in Ouallam district. The main species available and consumed throughout the year, supply sources, and processing methods, were identified in a preliminary study. In both districts, most women are involved in drying leaves. Dried greens are used year-round, mostly in soups served with the staple dish of millet, while fresh leaves are mainly prepared during the rainy season, either boiled or steamed with millet flour. Plant species found in both areas are usually processed similarly, but not all species were found in a given site. Samples of processed leaves were collected during the rainy season. In a given village, three different women provided a sample of every leaf species available for every processing method used. Weighed specimens of dried or fresh cooked leaves were wrapped in opaque plastic bags, quickly frozen, and shipped to Montreal on dry ice for analysis. Provitamin A carotenoid determinations were done in duplicate with the results expressed as total provitamin A carotenoid (mu-g of retinol equivalents RE) per 100 g. Moisture content was also determined for all samples after drying in a conventional oven for 48 to 72 h. The average provitamin A level for the 57 samples of dried leaves was 2,273 +- 1,152 RE/100 g, ranging from a low of 861 in Adansonia digitata to a high of 3,681 in Ceratoteca sesamoides (Table 1). The variance was very high and significant differences were observed among plant species and collection sites. Residual moisture did not vary according to species and site, and therefore could not explain the observed differences. Fresh boiled leaves had on average 1,333 +- 596 RE/100 g fresh weight, and steamed leaves 928 +- 526 RE (Table 2). For fresh leaves, in addition to species and site, the cooking method was significantly associated with the provitamin A level. For the four species cooked either way (Figure 1), boiled leaves had a higher provitamin A content than steamed leaves, both on a fresh and dry weight basis, this difference could not be ascribed to cooking time. Per dry weight unit (Table 3), leaves collected in the dried state had roughly half the provitamin A content of samples cooked fresh, and steamed leaves had half as much provitaminA as boiled samples of the same species. After adjustment for the processing method, species with the highest level of provitamin A, on a dry weight basis, were Allium cepa (onion greens), C. sesamoides (false benniseed) and Hibiscus sabdarifa (red sorrel). Despite wide variations in the provitamin A content of green leaves, these food items can be major contributors of vitamin A for children in the study areas. Depending on the species and type of dish, a small portion could provide from 11% to 104% of the safe vitamin A intake level for young children (Table 4). The study suggests that in rapid dietary assessments, fresh boiled greens should be distinguished from other green leaf dishes, in view of their provitamin A content. Based on children's food intake data, the estimated contribution of green leaves was on average two-thirds of the safe vitamin A intake level, but with a wide range. The real contribution of green leaves to vitamin A requirements may however be much lower, as the bioavailability of green leaf carotenoids is likely much lower than was assumed until recently, and as requirements may be increased in these children as a result of high exposure to infection. Elucidation of the above issues is needed for relevant food-based strategies to be advocated for the prevention of vitamin A deficiency in tropical Africa.

Food and Agriculture Organization (1982) Fruit-bearing forest trees: technical notes. FAO Forestry Paper, 34, v + 177 pp.

Notes are given on family, vernacular names, origin and distribution, ecology, botanical characteristics, cultural requirements, wood uses and food value of 43 species, in the context of the FAO forestry for local community development programme.

Glew R H, Vanderjagt D J, Lockett C, Grivetti L E, Smith G C, Pastuszyn A and Millson M (1997) Amino acid, fatty acid, and mineral composition of 24 indigenous plants of Burkina Faso. Journal of Food Composition and Analysis, 10(3): 205-217.

The leaves, seeds, flowers, and fruit of many indigenous plants are staples of populations who inhabit the Sahel region of Africa. They serve to supplement the nutrients provided by cereals such as millet and sorghum. However, there is a lack of comprehensive compositional data regarding the nutrient content of these indigenous plants. In this report, we present nutritional data for 24 plant materials collected in Burkina Faso, including their content of amino acids, fatty acids, and minerals. Three plants contained 20 to 37% protein (on a dry weight basis): Vigna sp., Hibiscus esculentus, and Parkiia biglobosa. Relative to a WHO protein standard, three plants scored relatively high: Voadzeiia subterranea, Pennisetum americanum, and Bixa orellana. Plants which contained large amounts of the essential fatty acids linoleic or alpha-linolenic acid were Vigna sp., Hibiscus esculentus seeds, Parkiia biglobosa seeds, and Vitex doniana fruit. Three plants were rich in iron: Adansonia digitata, Bixa orellana, and Xylopia sp. The fruit and seeds of Hibiscus esculentus were an excellent source of zinc. The plant foods with the highest calcium content were Adansonia digitata leaves, Hibiscus sp., and Bombax costatum. These data show that in terms of both quality and quantity there are numerous spontaneous desert plants that can serve as significant sources of essential amino acids, essential fatty acids and trace minerals for populations living in the western Sahel.

Guy G (1974) Notes on Baobabs. South African Forestry Journal, 89: 29-30

Briefly discusses the lack of reliable evidence on the growth rate of Adansonia digitata in southern Africa, and cites some data for individual trees that have been measured and remeasured during the last ca. 100 years.

Sizaret A (1972) The shortage of fruit in Niger. Fruits, 27(6): 485-488.

The shortage of fruit in Niger is discussed. The following fruits grow wild or are cultivated (ascorbic acid content in mg/100 g is given in parentheses): Detarium senegalense (1000 to 2000), Bauhinia reticulata (500 to 1000), pimento (100 to 125), papaya (100 to 50)[sic], orange (35 to 55), mango (60 to 110), Parinari macrophylla (40), Portulaca oleracea (leaves, 30), cassava (50). Fruits found wild are Parkia biglobosa, Annona senegalensis, Zizyphus, Hyphaenae thebaica, Borassus flabellifer, Adansonia digitata, Butyrospermum paradoxum, Diospyros mespiliformis, Antelaenae azadiracta[sic], Balanites aegyptiaca. Cultivated fruits include citrus, mango, guava, banana, pineapple and papaya.

Vaid K M and Vaid R (1978) Currency paper from Adansonia. Indian Journal of Forestry, 1(1): 53-55

Previous suggestions that the bast fibre of baobab (A. digitata) could be used for making paper (especially bank notes) are reviewed, and it is recommended that the species should be more widely planted in India for this purpose.

Varmah J C and Vaid K M (1978) Baobab - the historic African tree at Allahabad. Indian Forester, 104(7): 461-464

A note on a single tree of Adansonia digitata (native to Africa) growing at Jhusi, Uttar Pradesh, and previously unidentified botanically. It has an av. stem diam. of about 21 ft and is believed to be more than 1000 yr old. Myths and legends associated with the tree are briefly described.

Wickens G E (1982) The baobab - Africa's upside-down tree. Kew Bulletin, 47(2): 173-209

This is an attempt to pull together what is known about that extraordinary tree, the African baobab (Adansonia digitata L. - Bombacaceae). There are many suprising gaps in our knowledge, whicha re most likely to be reduced by closer collaboration between fieldworker, laboratory and herbarium botanist.

Wilson R T (1988) Vital statistics of the baobab (Adansonia digitata). African Journal of Ecology, 26(3): 197-206

Five populations in Zambia, Sudan, Mali, Kenya and Tanzania were measured to establish distribution of girth size classes. Absolute growth rates from rings or from empirical observations in each area were used to convert size into age classes. Baobab populations appear to be much younger than has generally been believed and only very few trees live to ages in excess of 400 yr. Instantaneous mortality rates vary from 1.1 to 3.7% per year in the different areas. A lack of recruitment to the youngest age classes is caused by elephants in some areas but land-use changes due to increasing human populations and increased domestic animal numbers may also be responsible for low recruitment rates in other areas.