Madagascar Botany

Madagascar’s botany stands among the most extraordinary on the planet, shaped by over 80 million years of isolation that allowed plants to evolve in complete ecological uniqueness. More than 80% of the island’s plant species exist nowhere else on Earth, creating a living botanical museum filled with baobab forests, spiny deserts, lush rainforests, and medicinal plants deeply woven into local culture. Travellers and researchers are captivated by Madagascar’s iconic flora—from the towering Avenue of the Baobabs to the otherworldly octopus trees, carnivorous pitcher plants, and countless orchids flourishing in the island’s tropical microclimates. The diversity is so rich that Madagascar is often referred to as the “botanical Ark of the Indian Ocean,” home to ecosystems that reveal ancient evolutionary pathways and astonishing natural adaptations.