▁plants ▁and ▁animals ▁found ▁now here ▁else ▁on ▁Earth . ▁Appro xim ately ▁ 9 0 % ▁of ▁all ▁plant ▁and ▁animal ▁species ▁found ▁in ▁Mad agas car ▁are ▁en demic . ▁This ▁distinct ive ▁e col ogy ▁has ▁led ▁some ▁e colog ists ▁to ▁refer ▁to ▁Mad agas car ▁as ▁the ▁" e ighth ▁continent ", ▁and ▁the ▁island ▁has ▁been ▁class ified ▁by ▁Conserv ation ▁International ▁as ▁a ▁b iod iversity ▁hot spot . ▁ ▁More ▁than ▁ 8 0   percent ▁of ▁Mad agas car ' s ▁ 1 4 , 8 8 3 ▁plant ▁species ▁are ▁found ▁now here ▁else ▁in ▁the ▁world , ▁including ▁five ▁plant ▁families . ▁The ▁family ▁Did iere aceae , ▁composed ▁of ▁four ▁gener a ▁and ▁ 1 1 ▁species , ▁is ▁limited ▁to ▁the ▁sp iny ▁for ests ▁of ▁south western ▁Mad agas car . ▁Four - fif th s ▁of ▁the ▁world ' s ▁P ach yp od ium ▁species ▁are ▁en demic ▁to ▁the ▁island . ▁Three - four th s ▁of ▁Mad agas car ' s ▁ 8 6 0 ▁orch id ▁species ▁are ▁found ▁here ▁alone , ▁as ▁are ▁six ▁of ▁the ▁world ' s ▁nine ▁ba ob ab ▁species . ▁The ▁island ▁is ▁home ▁to ▁around ▁ 1 7 0 ▁pal m ▁species , ▁three ▁times ▁as ▁many ▁as ▁on ▁all ▁of ▁main land ▁Africa ; ▁ 1 6 5 ▁of ▁them ▁are ▁en demic . ▁Many ▁native ▁plant ▁species ▁are ▁used ▁as ▁her bal ▁rem ed ies