Living BeingsCompare species
Sacred Lotus
Nelumbo nucifera
African Baobab
Adansonia digitata
How to compare two organisms
Choose two species and trace their closest shared group. Then compare a trait with the same definition on each side. Check the units, life stage and context before interpreting a measurement or range.
Missing data means that the collection lacks a sourced value. Where a characteristic does not apply to a lineage, the comparison labels it separately. Open the two profiles for context and follow their sources before drawing a conclusion.
Evidence from the profiles
Compare their characteristics
| Trait | Sacred Lotus | African Baobab |
|---|---|---|
| Physical traits | Rounded green to bluish-green leaves are carried on stalks. The familiar flowers can be pink and are borne singly. | Thick, fibrous bark surrounds a broad trunk. Each compound leaf has several leaflets radiating from a central point. |
| Habitat and range | Freshwater ponds and other still-water settings provide waterlogged soil in which the rhizomes grow. Strong light supports its photosynthetic foliage. | A terrestrial tree of tropical Africa, it is adapted to seasonally dry conditions and is also planted in gardens and settlements. |
| Diet and nutrition | Like other green flowering plants, lotus obtains energy through photosynthesis rather than by absorbing food from mud. Roots supply water and minerals. | Leaves produce sugars through photosynthesis. Water and mineral nutrients are taken up through the roots. |
| Reproduction and life cycle | The plant can reproduce from seeds and spread vegetatively through rhizomes. A planted patch therefore need not consist of many independent seedlings. | Large, hanging white flowers develop into capsules containing seeds embedded in pale, powdery pulp. New trees can be grown from seed. |
| Geographic distribution | Native to Asia and northeastern Australia and cultivated widely beyond that region. | Native to Africa and cultivated elsewhere. The accompanying photograph shows a planted specimen in Madagascar; that location should not be confused with the native range of every baobab species. |
| Ecological role | Emergent foliage adds structure to shallow freshwater habitat. Its cultural importance and cultivated distribution should not be mistaken for evidence that it is native everywhere it grows. | Its flowers, fruit and extensive woody structure provide biological resources. The familiar name baobab also applies to other species, which should not be confused with this one. |
| Distinctive adaptations | Underground rhizomes provide a persistent storage and growth organ beneath the seasonal leaves and flowers. | A substantial trunk and drought-resistant growth form help distinguish this tree from many humid-forest trees. |
Classification
Shared ancestry
Closest shared taxon: Mesangiospermae.