a genus of great trees related to the bombax. there are two species, a. digitata, the baobab or monkey-bread of africa and india, and a. gregorii, the sour gourd or cream-of-tartar tree of australia.  both have a trunk of moderate height, but of enormous diameter, and a wide-spreading head. the fruit is oblong, and filled with pleasantly acid pulp. the wood is very soft, and the bark is used by the natives for making ropes and cloth.