Pachypodium densiflorum Baker

DESCRIPTION:  is a caudiciform multi-branched shrub with a massively swollen trunk that can attain a diameter of up to 2 m and a height of about 70 cm. Its name means literally "dense flowered" which is an apt description of its abundant floral display. Stem/caudex: It has many short spiny branches from a fat caudiciform trunk. The trunk is smooth, silver with a light green tint and can attain with great age the height of 70 cm and the diameter of 1 m (or more) at the base. The branches are upright, short, tapered and covered with paired conical spines, the epidermis appears shining silver colored due to the presence of fine greyish-white felt. Leaves: Deciduous almost sessile, elliptic to obovate, 5 x 10 cm wide, shining dark olive green above and paler/pubescent below with a lighter middle vein and symmetrical venation. Flowers: Several (up to 10) clustered on 25-40 cm long erected, growing far above the plant, flowers yellow or sometimes tinted deep. Pedicels usually about 5-7 mm long (but variable from 0 to 24 mm long). Sepals (the green outer whorl of flower parts) usually 5-7 mm long ((but variable from 3 to 9.5 mm). Corolla five-lobed, 1,5-3 cm in diameter, yellow and orange almost flat, with a saucer-like depression in the center containing the central androecial cone with 5 anthers.

DISTRIBUTION: Madagascar