Schizolaena charlotteae

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Schizolaena charlotteae is a plant in the Sarcolaenaceae family and is found only in Madagascar. It is named after botanist Charlotte Rajeriarson. The plant can be a shrub or a tree up to 15 meters tall. Its smooth twigs have small lenticels. The leaves are elliptic to ovate, slightly leathery, dark chocolate brown on top and orange-brown underneath, up to 7.5 cm long. The inflorescences have many flowers; each flower has three sepals and five petals. The petals are bright pinkish red with yellow borders and up to 1.4 cm long. The round fruits are up to 1.5 cm in diameter. This species is known only from the southeastern coastal Anosy region, living in lowland humid forest from sea level to about 500 m elevation. It is listed as Endangered on the IUCN Red List because its habitat is threatened by grazing and wildfires, and it is also harvested locally. It is present in at least one protected area, the Tsitongambarika reserve.