Arboretum d'Antsokay, Botanical garden in Toliara, Madagascar.
Arboretum d'Antsokay is a botanical garden near Toliara that spans a large area and houses numerous plant species adapted to the dry local climate. The collection emphasizes succulents and drought-resistant flora characteristic of this semi-arid region.
A Swiss botanist founded this garden in 1980 to study and document the flora of the dry region. Over time, the work there led to the discovery of several plant species previously unknown to the scientific community.
Antsokay is the name of a small hamlet near the garden, where limestone rocks are quarried and burned to make quicklime. The arboretum's own name thus comes from this local lime-making, not from brick. The interpretation centre explains the spiny forest and the plants of the southwest to visitors.
The garden lies just off the RN7, about 12 km southeast of Toliara and 6 km from the airport, with La Table mountain nearby. It is open from 7.30 to 17.30 and closed throughout February. Guided tours are available in English, and visitors can stay at Auberge de la Table on the grounds.
The regional herbarium at Antsokay holds the largest collection of plant specimens from south-west Madagascar, gathered by staff and enriched through donations and exchanges with partner herbaria. The site also keeps a small museum with rocks, fossils and an Aepyornis egg, and has taken part in conservation work for the radiated tortoise.
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