In climatic regions such as the savannah, the subequatorial climate is pronounced. In these places, the year is very clearly divided into dry and rainy seasons. For this reason, only specific types of trees grow here.
Adaptation of trees to the climate
Trees in savannahs are an extremely rare phenomenon, because in such climatic conditions it is quite difficult for them to survive. And if, for example, the Brazilian savannas can still be called sparse forests, in the savannas of other countries trees are very rare, and most of them are undersized. The highest ones are comparable to the fruit trees of the middle lane, moreover, they have similarly crooked trunks and branches.
Trees growing in savannas are able to stay dry for a long time and withstand long-term dry seasons. They are adapted to dry, hot climates.
Most of the trees in the savannah are covered with a wax-like bloom and have hard and small leaves. This helps to retain moisture even in the hottest and driest weather.
Savannah is exposed to scorching sunlight for most of the year, which is why fires often occur there. The trees in this area have very thick bark to protect themselves from fire.
The main representatives of the savannah trees
The baobab is the most popular tree in the African savannah. It is one of the thickest trees in the world, and can be up to eight meters thick. A feature of the baobab is that it does not have tree rings, so it has not yet been possible to establish exactly how long this tree lives.
The baobab has a wide variety of uses. Soft drinks and coffee are made from it, added to salad, used as spices, and boiled like asparagus. Also, fabrics, medicines, soap are made from it, and used as a building material.
Umbrella acacias, like huge open umbrellas, are beautiful trees. This is another type of savanna tree. Despite the fact that their leaves are directed with their ribs to the sun, representatives of the local fauna hide from the scorching rays under a widely spread crown in dry times, and in the rainy season these trees are used by animals as natural umbrellas.
When the time comes for flowering, the umbrella acacia is covered with white and yellow small flowers, and its fruits are beans. Most savannah herbivores would like to feast on these fruits, so the acacia has a natural defense - large thorns.
One of the well-known representatives of the savannah trees is the brachychiton. Its trunk can reach a height of 15 m, and the lower part of the trunk has an extension, as a result of which the tree with its appearance resembles a bottle, for which it is often called a bottle tree. In the lower thick part of the trunk, brachychiton accumulates moisture, which helps it survive in the dry season.
The seeds of this tree are eaten raw and fried; nectar accumulates in special cavities in the upper part of the trunk. Roots of brachychiton are also used in cooking, and its leaves are used for cattle feed.
