The bottle tree, Moringa drouhardii, is an endemic species of southwest Madagascar. It occurs in the Madagascar spiny thickets ecoregion, especially at the limestone cliffs to the east of Lake Tsimanampetsotsa, on the Mahafaly Plateau.The species is often planted in local villages and around traditional tombs. Neither the seeds (rich in edible oil and floculating proteins) nor the leaves (that can be eaten as green vegetables) are traditionally used in the Atsimo-Andrefana Region (southwestern Madagascar) despite their significant benefits.