Duvaliandra

Morphological Summary

Duvaliandra is a monotypic genus of succulents in the family Apocynaceae, subfamily Asclepiadoideae, represented by a single species: Duvaliandra dioscoridis. The genus was established by M.G.Gilbert to accommodate this unusual stapeliad endemic to Socotra Island (Yemen), whose floral and vegetative morphology clearly separates it from related genera. The fleshy, compact, angular stems are typical of stapeliads, but the floral structure shows unique adaptations to the xerophytic insular environment of Socotra.