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The baobab tree is a special thing to see.
猴面包树是一种特别的植物。
During the dry season, its leafless branches look like roots coming from a thick trunk.
在旱季，它光秃秃的树枝看起来像是从粗大的树干中长出的根。
It appears as if someone took a tree from the ground, flipped it on its head and put it back into the earth.
看起来就像是有人从地上捡到一棵树，把头倒过来，然后又把它放回了地里。
That is why the tree is sometimes called the "upside down tree."
这就是为什么这种树有时被称为“倒置树”。
Baobab trees grow in Madagascar, mainland Africa and Australia.
猴面包树生长在马达加斯加、非洲大陆和澳大利亚。
The origins and history of the baobab have been something of a mystery.
猴面包树的起源和历史一直是一个谜。
But a new study that looked at all eight recognized species helps tell the baobab's story.
但一项新的研究对所有八个已知物种进行了研究，这有助于讲述猴面包树的故事。
The baobab originated in Madagascar about 21 million years ago.
猴面包树起源于大约2100万年前的马达加斯加。
It reached the African continent and Australia sometime in the past 12 million years, researchers found.
研究人员发现，在过去1200万年的某个时候，它到达了非洲大陆和澳大利亚。
Madagascar, an island off Africa's southeastern coast, has a large ecosystem.
马达加斯加是非洲东南海岸的一个岛屿，拥有一个巨大的生态系统。
It is home to many kinds of plants.
它是许多种类植物的家园。
Two baobab lineages went extinct in Madagascar.
马达加斯加有两个猴面包树谱系已经灭绝。
But the lineages established themselves elsewhere, one in mainland Africa and one in Australia, the study showed.
但研究显示，这些血统已经在其他地方站稳了脚跟，一个在非洲大陆，一个在澳大利亚。
It appears that baobab seed pods floated from Madagascar to mainland Africa, located about 400 kilometers to the west.
看起来猴面包树的种子似乎从马达加斯加漂浮到位于该岛西部约400公里处非洲大陆。
The seeds also traveled to Australia, nearly 7,000 kilometers to the east.
种子也被传播到了澳大利亚以东近7000公里处。
"The plants almost certainly got to Africa and Australia floating on or with vegetation rafts," said plant expert Tao Wan of the Wuhan Botanical Garden in China.
位于中国的武汉植物园的植物专家陶万说：“这些植物几乎肯定是漂浮在植物筏上，或者与之一起漂浮到非洲和澳大利亚的。”
He is one of the writers of the study, which appeared recently in the publication Nature.
他是这项研究的作者之一，该研究最近发表在《自然》杂志上。
Wan added that the seeds were able to travel to Australia because of the Indian Ocean gyre, an oceanic current.
万补充说，得益于印度洋环流，种子能够运往澳大利亚。
Baobab trees provide food, shelter and nesting places for wildlife, including bees, birds and various mammals.
猴面包树为包括蜜蜂、鸟类和各种哺乳动物在内的野生动物提供食物、庇护所和筑巢场所。
Their fruits also provide important nutrients and medicines for people.
他们的水果也为人们提供了重要的营养和药物。
Baobab leaves can be eaten, too.
猴面包树叶子也可以吃。
The trees produce large, sweet-smelling flowers.
这些树开出大而香甜的花朵。
Their sugary nectar appeals to nighttime pollinators like fruit bats and hawk moths.
它们含糖的花蜜吸引了果蝠和鹰蛾等夜间传粉者。
Their flowers also attract two kinds of primates -- lemurs in Madagascar and bush babies in Africa.
这些花朵还吸引了两种灵长类动物--马达加斯加的狐猴和非洲的婴猴。
Ilia Leitch is a plant geneticist at the Royal Botanic Gardens Kew in London.
伊利亚·利奇是伦敦皇家植物园的植物遗传学家。
He is also a study co-writer.
他也是一名研究合著者。
He said baobabs can grow to be very large and live for thousands of years.
他说，猴面包树可以长得非常大，可以存活数千年。
Their very large root systems "play an important ecological role, helping to slow down soil erosion and enabling nutrient recycling," he said.
他们非常大的根系“发挥了重要的生态作用，有助于减缓土壤侵蚀，并使养分循环，”他说。
Baobabs are a water source for local people during the dry season.
猴面包树是当地人旱季的水源。
But Africa's baobabs are at risk from elephant damage.
但非洲的猴面包树正面临大象破坏的风险。
The animals sometimes cut the tree trunks with their tusks to get water.
这些动物有时会用它们的獠牙砍断树干来取水。
I'm Dan Novak.
我是丹·诺瓦克。
