Pachypodium (Apocynaceae)

The present publication incorporates a taxonomic monograph of the genus Pachypodiunt based on herbarium material and living plants of all species, a detailed study of the habitats and ecological preferences of most species and a chapter on cultivation. The latter describes the successes of artificial propagation, as the ecological conditions have been simulated carefully for the purpose. The monograph has been written by Rapanarivo, who got essential inputs from the plant explorer Lavranos and the taxonomist Leeuwenberg, world specialist of the Apocynaceae family. The taxonomy is a modern and completely revised update of the publications of Codd (1963) on the continental African species and that of Markgraf (1976) on the Madagascan species, describing 23 species as presently distinguished. All have ornamental value and most can be classified as threatened in the wild, but sustained exploitation is possible through multiplication by seeds. This enables trade without further damaging the natural populations.