Pachypodium rosulatum

Pachypodium rosulatum, common name elephant's foot plant, belongs to the family Apocynaceae.

Description

Pachypodium rosulatum is a shrubby perennial caudiciform plant with a bottle-shaped trunk, brownish silver and almost spineless, about wide and about tall. From the caudex depart many thorny cylindrical arms, forming a shrub about tall. The leaves, which fall in the dry season, form a rosette on the top of branches. They are deciduous, dark green, oblanceolate, ovate or elliptical and petiolated. The long-stalked flowers are sulphur-yellow and form an inflorescence about high. Flowering period extends from February through May. The fruits are 6 to 20 inches long and contain elongated seeds with a length of 6 mm.

Distribution

This plant is native to Madagascar and it is widespread on the central plateau.

Habitat

These plants prefer sunny and stony areas. The succulent caudex and the underground tuberous enable the plant to tolerate long periods of drought.