About the Author

Louise Jasper is a British photographer of nature with a special interest in the diversity of flora and fauna in Madagascar. She has contributed to a range of publications on the wildlife of southwestern Madagascar.

Andry Petignat is an amateur plant enthusiast with a particular interest in succulents, including baobabs. He has authored Guide des plantes succulentes du sud-ouest de Madagascar, published in 2009, and is responsible for the famous Arboretum d’Antsokay in Toliara, Madagascar.

A photographic masterpiece, this beautiful book is a fitting tribute to the baobab – an extraordinary and majestic tree found principally in Madagascar, and peripherally in Africa and Australia.

The first section offers a short introduction to the classification and general description of baobabs, details of their life history, bio-geography, dispersal and their role in people’s lives. The second section comprises a guide to each of the eight baobab species, including botanical description, details of their habitat, distribution and principal uses, accompanied by clear images and line drawings of the leaves, flowers, fruits and growth habit of each species.

Interesting text and lavish photographs throughout make this book irresistible for specialist botanists and lay enthusiasts alike, and it will have particular appeal for tourists too.