Bezandry R. auteur aut IRD Ranarijaona H. L. T. auteur aut IRD Vavitsara M. E. auteur aut IRD Sabatier S. auteur aut IRD Guyot Romain auteur aut IRD Anest A. auteur aut IRD text journalArticle eng text/pdf born digital access Background Global coffee production faces increasing threats from climate change, including rising temperatures, prolonged droughts, and the spread of diseases. Wild coffee species, notably those growing in seasonally highly arid environments in Madagascar, represent a critical genetic resource to address these challenges. Understanding adaptive traits allowing these species to establish into arid environments is essential to guide breeding strategies for creating resilient coffee varieties.AimsWe identified structural strategies likely to explain drought tolerance in wild Malagasy Coffea species. Methods We used architectural analysis to describe three Baracoffea species, C. ambongensis, C. bissetiae, and C. boinensis, and compare them to known cultivated. Structural and functional traits were measured across developmental stages. Results Our results suggest that, in addition to rhythmic growth and terminal flowering on shoots, Baracoffea species possess unique architectural characteristics including a complex architectural unit made of four different stem types, reflecting a high level of functional specialisation. Species-specific developmental strategies reflect different pathways into edifying plant architecture, mainly depending on primary and secondary growth trade-offs. Conclusion These findings highlight the architectural diversity of Baracoffea, identify potentially important drivers of ecological adaptation through development pathways, and therefore highlight the potential of this group of species for breeding climate-resilient coffee varieties. specialized Baracoffea drought adaptation Madagascar plant architecture plant functional trait MADAGASCAR 076 [Early access] [13 p.] 2026 1755-0874 https://www.documentation.ird.fr/hor/fdi:010096508 10.1080/17550874.2026.2637118 1755-0874 [F B010096508] https://www.documentation.ird.fr/hor/fdi:010096508 https://www.documentation.ird.fr/intranet/publi/2026-04/010096508.pdf Accès réservé (Intranet de l'IRD) IRD - Base Horizon / Pleins textes 2026-04-15 2026-04-15 fdi:010096508 fre