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10 families and 260 genera of plants
are endemic to Madagascar. Only Australia (with
13) has more endemic species of plants
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165 of Madagascar's 170 palms are
not found anywhere else. For comparison, mainland
Africa has less than 60 species of palm
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Of the 8 species of baobab found
in the world, six are endemic to Madagascar
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An entire family of plants, the Didiereaceae
is unique to Madagascar. Didiereaceae plants are
found in the arid southwest and closely resemble
some forms of cacti. Unlike cacti though, they produce
small deciduous leaves, which are protected by menacing
thorns, and spines that grow directly out of the
plant's many branches
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95% of the species found in the Spiny
desert exist only in this habitat unique to Madagascar
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Madagascar has nearly 1000 known
species of orchids, of which 85% are endemic
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Anti-cancer drugs (vincristine, vinblastine)
derived from the Madagascar rosy periwinkle generated
over a billion dollars in revenue for Eli Lilly
& Co
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FLORA
