Moisture content and vessel elements in stem of Adansonia digitata Linn (Bombacaceae)

The moisture content and vessel element in stem of a fully grown Adansonia digitata Linn were investigated. Averages of 82.13±0.2%, 79.73±0.3% and 78.73±0.3% were the percentage moisture contents of the stem in top, middle and base regions respectively, whereas, averages of 76.00±0.2%, 78.40±0.1% and 81.80±0.4% were the moisture contents at the base of the stem in the core, middle and outer regions respectively. Moreso, averages of 77.40±0.3%, 79.00±0.2% and 82.80±0.1% were the moisture contents at the middle of the stem in the core, middle and outer regions respectively. Similarly, at the top of the stem, averages of 80.80±0.2%, 81.60±0.3% and 84.00±0.1% were the moisture contents in the core, middle and outer regions. The moisture contents therefore, increased from the base up the stem as well as from the core to the outer regions both at the base, middle and top. In the same vein, average length of vessel elements were 642.47±0.4μm, 557.87±0.1μm and 563.80±0.1μm in the base, middle and top of the stern respectively, whereas, averages of 132.93±0.1μm, 229.93±0.3μm and 141.00±0.4μm were the diameters of vessel elements in the base, middle and top regions of the stem respectively. Therefore, there were variations in length and diameter of the vessel elements in the various regions of the stem. The relevance of the high moisture in the stem of this highly medicinal tree plant to natural crude drug industry was pointed out alongside with the eco-physiological advantage which the high moisture and large vessel elements might confer on the plant.