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 (-10) 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 (petiole), dying off at the beginning of the dry season. They are rounded (10–22 mm X 10 mm) and fleshy.

Flowers
Flowers are produced on a reduced inflorescence in Alluaudia comosa; only the end flower develops, and is set on a very short axis. Flowers are dioecious (male and female flowers on separate plants).

Habitat
This species grows on limestone in dry forests or coastal shrubland.