Adansonia is the tree genus that includes the baobabs, famous for their swollen trunks.
Baobabs are deciduous trees adapted to seasonally dry environments. Their huge trunks can store substantial amounts of water, while their leafless periods reduce water loss during drought. The genus contains species native to mainland Africa, Madagascar, and Australia.
Baobabs have distinctive flowers and large fruits often called monkey bread. Their trunks and branches support many animals, and local communities have used their bark, leaves, fruit, and hollow trunks for food, fiber, medicine, and shelter.
The genus name honors Michel Adanson, an eighteenth-century French botanist who studied African plants. Baobabs are sometimes described as upside-down trees because their spreading branches can resemble roots, but that nickname is a visual metaphor rather than a botanical description.