Alluaudia comosa
Alluaudia comosa is a rare species of flowering plant. It belongs to the family Didiereaceae, subfamily Didiereoideae, which is found only in the coastal area of SW Madagascar. Didierea comosa Drake is a synonym. It is listed as "vulnerable" on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
Description
Alluaudia comosa has a distinctive, easily recognized silhouette with a short trunk and dense branches that stop in a flat crown. This is a deciduous shrub to small tree 2-6 metres tall that is woody, semi-succulent and spiny, with spines set singly. Spines are grey and 1.5-3.5 cm long.Leaves are developed mostly in pairs, set on a short stalk, dying off at the beginning of the dry season. They are rounded and fleshy.