Alluaudia is a genus of flowering plants in the family Didiereaceae. There are six species, all endemic to Madagascar.Alluaudia. Madagascar Catalogue. eFloras.
Most occur in the southwestern subarid forest-thicket vegetation of the island.Schatz, G., et al. Modeling of endemic plant species of Madagascar under climate change. In: Assessing the Impact of Climate Change on Madagascar's Livelihoods and Biodiversity. Conference. Antananarivo, Madagascar, 28 January 2008.
Species of Alluaudia are dioecious, with male and female flowers on separate plants. Spines are arranged around the leaves as a defense against herbivores. The spines are several meters above the ground, and probably evolved in response to herbivory by now-extinct lemurs, such as Hadropithecus. Several lemur species living today feed heavily on Alluaudia, such as the ring-tailed lemur (Lemur catta) and the white-footed sportive lemur (Lepilemur leucopus).Crowley, B. E. and L. R. Godfrey. (2013). Why all those spines?: Anachronistic defences in the Didiereoideae against now extinct lemurs. South African Journal of Science 109(1-2), 1-7.
Species Image Scientific name Distribution Alluaudia ascendens (Drake) Drake 1903 Madagascar Alluaudia comosa (Drake) Drake 1903 SW Madagascar. Alluaudia dumosa (Drake) Drake 1903 southern coastal Madagascar Alluaudia humbertii Choux 1934 Madagascar Alluaudia montagnacii Rauh 1961 Madagascar Alluaudia procera (Drake) Drake 1903 Madagascar
References
External links GRIN Species Records of Alluaudia. Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN). http://worldofsucculents.com/how-to-grow-and-care-for-alluaudia/