| Alluaudia | |
|---|---|
| |
| Alluaudia procera | |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Order: | Caryophyllales |
| Family: | Didiereaceae |
| Subfamily: | Didiereoideae |
| Genus: | Alluaudia (Drake) Drake |
| Species | |
|
6, see text | |
Alluaudia is a genus of flowering plants in the family Didiereaceae. There are six species, all endemic to Madagascar.[1]
Most occur in the southwestern subarid forest-thicket vegetation of the island.[2]
Species of Alluaudia are dioecious, with male and female flowers on separate plants.[3] 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).[4]
- ^ Alluaudia. Madagascar Catalogue. eFloras.
- ^ 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.
- ^ Applequist, W. L.; Wallace, R. S. (2000). "Phylogeny of the Madagascan endemic family Didiereaceae". Plant Systematics and Evolution. 221 (3–4): 157–166. Bibcode:2000PSyEv.221..157A. doi:10.1007/BF01089291. S2CID 33830803.
- ^ 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.