Madagascan succulents Archives - Page 3 of 3

Pachypodium horombense

In the dormant state, without leaves and flowers, this species is difficult to distinguish from P. densiflorum and P. rosulatum. They share the same habit: low, multi-branched shrubs up to 1.5 m in diameter and up to 1 m tall.

P. horombense is named after the Horombé plateau in the southern highlands of Madagascar, where it often occurs in great numbers on granite rocks.
The inflorescence has an erect peduncle of no less than 60 cm tall, with broadly cup-shaped flowers 1.7-2.3 cm in diameter.
According to Werner Rauh in his great book on the succulents of Madagascar, this is:
“the most beautiful Pachypodium species in cultivation”.

Uncarina stellulifera

Uncarina is a genus of 12 species occurring in northern, western and southwestern Madagascar.
U. stellulilifera is common between limestone rocks in the Tulear region, between Morondava in the north and Lake Tsimanampetsotse in the south.
It is a small tree up to 3.5 m tall, with a thickened base and leaves 4-12 cm long and 3-10 cm wide. The beautiful flowers are 5-6 cm long.
The fruits are most peculiar with their very long barbed spines, which attach them to passing animals as an aid in dispersal. We were told that the local people use the fruits to catch mice.