A small rare tree of Madagascar, species of the year 2019

This is the case for the species chosen by the SSS this year, Capurodendron sahafariense, a small tree described by researchers from the Conservatory and Botanical Garden of the City of Geneva. It is found only in a few small dry forests, spared within forty square kilometers of degraded grasslands in northern Madagascar. His ecology is still very poorly known. Like all species of the genus, its small nectariferous flowers are probably pollinated by insects. With its five ridges, however, its fruit is atypical in a group from the dense rain forest where fleshy fruits dispersed by animals are the rule. It could be related to wind dispersal, which is more advantageous in forests where trees lose their leaves depending on the season. Just discovered, this species is already considered critically endangered because of its scarcity! Unfortunately, this is often the case for species with a very small distribution area reduced by human activities. The destruction of natural habitats, especially tropical forests, destroys many species before they are described by scientists.