Alluaudia dumosa

Alluaudia dumosa
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Order: Caryophyllales
Family: Didiereaceae
Genus: Alluaudia
Species:
A. dumosa
Binomial name
Alluaudia dumosa
(Drake) Drake

Alluaudia dumosa, also known as dense alluaudia or Boers' umbrella, is a species of plant in the genus Alluaudia and the family Didiereaceae.[1][2][3][4]

Etymology

The species name 'dumosa' (from Latin 'dumosus') means 'bushy, growing as a bush'.

Description

Alluaudia dumosa initially grows as an upright shrub. Later, the shoots become prostrate and finally the plants grow tree-shaped. They reach heights of 2–6 m (6 ft 7 in – 19 ft 8 in). The thick and fleshy shoots are covered with tiny, scattered and weak, black thorns. These grow up to 2 mm (0.079 in) in size. The tender fleshy leaves are almost stem-round and soon fall off. They are 5 to 10 mm (0.20 to 0.39 in) long and 2 to 3 mm (0.079 to 0.118 in) in diameter.

The whitish flowers appear in small, cymous inflorescences and grow up to 5 cm (2.0 in) in size. The fruits are elongated in shape.

Distribution and habitat

Alluaudia dumosa is distributed in the southeast of Madagascar, in the area between Ambovombe and Ampanihy. The species is on the IUCN Red List and is considered Least Concern.[5]

Alluaudia dumosa was first formally described in 1901 as Didierea dumosa by French botanist, Emmanuel Drake del Castillo.[6] In 1903, Castillo placed the species in the newly established genus Alluaudia.[7]

References

  1. ^ "Alluaudia dumosa". CABI Compendium. 2019-11-21. doi:10.1079/cabicompendium.4342. Retrieved 2025-11-09.
  2. ^ "Alluaudia dumosa - Plant Finder". www.missouribotanicalgarden.org. Retrieved 2025-11-11.
  3. ^ "Alluaudia dumosa". Tropiflora. Retrieved 2025-11-11.
  4. ^ "Alluaudia dumosa - Useful Tropical Plants". tropical.theferns.info. Retrieved 2025-11-11.
  5. ^ Alluaudia dumosa in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2020-3. Posted by: Ramanantsialonina, R.N., 2018. Retrieved 4 December 2025
  6. ^ Comptes Rendus Hebdomadaires des Séances de l'Academie des Sciences Paris, 133: 241, 1901
  7. ^ Bulletin du Muséum d'Histoire Naturelle Paris, ix. 37, 1903.