Across Africa, the iconic Adansonia digitata (baobab) trees rely on delicate, nocturnal partnerships to reproduce. In West Africa, large fruit bats such as Eidolon helvum pollinate the trees. Their visits shape floral traits like large size, long stalks, and abundant nectar.

In Southern Africa, by contrast, bats rarely visit baobab flowers. Instead, a variety of nocturnal moths serve as primary pollinators. Correspondingly, baobab flowers in that region have adapted: smaller in size, with drooping petals and wider stigmas, features that favour moth visitation.

Implication for agronomy and ecosystem management: the reproductive success of key tree species like the baobab hinges not only on preserving the trees themselves, but also understanding which pollinators are active in the local context, and aligning restoration, planting and conservation strategies accordingly.