Overview
Herbs, annual or perennial, subshrubs, or shrubs, succulent. Stems erect or prostrate. Leaves simple, rarely pinnate, mostly opposite, sometimes alternate, in many species fleshy, margin entire, rarely with teeth; true stipules absent, sometimes a stipule-like sheath present at base of petiole. Inflorescences terminal or seemingly axillary cymes, or solitary flowers. Flowers bisexual, rarely unisexual, actinomorphic, perigynous or epigynous. Nectaries separate or in a ring around ovary. Tepals (4 or) 5( 8), connate below into a tube. Petals absent or present. Stamens 3 to many, free or connate at base, outermost often as filamentous staminodes; anthers dehiscing by longitudinal slits. Ovary inferior, syncarpous; carpels 2 to many; ovules 1 to many, on long funicles, mostly campylotropous; placentation axile or parietal, sometimes basal-parietal. Stigmas as many as carpels. Fruit a hygroscopic or circumscissile capsule, more rarely a berry or nut. Seeds with slender embryo curved around perisperm, rarely with an aril; endosperm scanty or absent.
About 135 genera and 1800 species: mainly in arid, subtropical regions, most species in S Africa, some in Australia and W parts of the Americas, some pantropical; three genera and three species in China.
The family is divided into five subfamilies, of which two, Sesuvioideae and Tetragonioideae, are represented by native species in China.
Many members of the subfamilies Mesembryanthemoideae and Ruschioideae are ornamentals and are in cultivation worldwide. Until the early 20th century, these were nearly all included in the genus Mesembryanthemum. Since then, the majority of the members of that genus has been placed in a great number of smaller genera. Five species have been recorded as cultivated in China: Aptenia cordifolia (Linnaeus f.) Schwantes, Carpobrotus edulis (Linnaeus) L. Bolus, Glottiphyllum longum (Haworth) N. E. Brown, Lampranthus spectabilis (Haworth) N. E. Brown, and Mesembryanthemum crystallinum Linnaeus. Further species are likely to be introduced into China.
Tetragonia, together with the genus Tetragonocarpus, is sometimes treated as an independent family, the Tetragoniaceae. Sesuvium and Trianthema, together with Cypselea Turpin and Zaleya N. L. Burman, are sometimes treated as a separate family, the Sesuviaceae.[1]
Taxonomy
The Family Aizoaceae is further organized into finer groupings including:
- Subfamily (33): Agapanthoideae · Aizooideae · Apioideae · Asteroideae · Boraginoideae · Cactoideae · Caryophylloideae · Cleomoideae · Coliadinae · Crassuloideae · Euphorbioideae · Faboideae · Iridoideae · Lamioideae · Magnolioideae · Mesembryanthemoideae · Nepetoideae · Orchidoideae · Polemonioideae · Pyroideae · Ranunculoideae · Rhinanthoideae · Rhododendroideae · Rubioideae · Ruschioideae · Scrophularioideae · Sedoideae · Spiraeoideae · Theoideae · Trollioideae · Ulmoideae · Violoideae · Winteroideae
- Tribe (41): Anemoneae · Anthemideae · Arabideae · Astereae · Calluneae · Cleomeae · Coreopsideae · Diapensieae · Echeverieae · Euphorbieae · Gratioleae · Heliantheae · Hesperideae · Indigofereae · Irideae · Lamieae · Lobelieae · Lonicereae · Loteae · Magnolieae · Maleae · Mentheae · Myosotideae · Narcisseae · Nepeteae · Orchideae · Peucedaneae · Polemonieae · Rhamneae · Rhododendreae · Salvieae · Sedeae · Sileneae · Spiraeeae · Theeae · Trichocereeae · Tulipeae · Verbasceae · Veroniceae · Vicieae · Violeae
- Genus (223): Abryanthemum · Acaulon · Acrodon · Acrosanthes · Aethephyllum · Agnirictus · Aistocaulon · Aizoanthemum · Aizoon · Aloinopsis · Amoebophyllum · Amphibolia · Ancistrostigma · Anisocalyx · Anisostigma · Antegibbaeum · Antimima · Apatesia · Aptenia · Arenifera · Argeta · Argyroderma · Aridaria · Aspazoma · Astridia · Bergeranthus · Berresfordia · Bijlia · Blepharolepis · Bolusanthemum · Braunsia · Brianhuntleya · Brownanthus · Calamophyllum · Callistigma · Carpanthea · Carpobrotus · Carruanthus · Caryotophora · Caulipsolon · Cephalophyllum · Cerochlamys · Chasmatophyllum · Chaubardia · Cheiridopsis · Circandra · Cleretum · Conicosia · Conophyllum · Conophytum · Conopodium · Consolea · Corpuscularia · Crocanthus · Cryophytum · Cylindrophyllum · Cypselea · Dactylopsis · Deilanthe · Delosperma · Demidovia · Depacarpus · Derenbergia · Derenbergiella · Dicrocaulon · Didaste · Didymaotus · Dinteranthus · Diplochonium · Diplosoma · Disphyma · Dorotheanthus · Dracophilus · Drosanthemopsis · Drosanthemum · Eberlanzia · Ebracteola · Echinus · Ectotropis · Enarganthe · Erepsia · Esterhuysenia · Eurystigma · Faucaria · Fenestraria · Frithia · Galenia · Gasoul · Gaudinia · Geocapron · Gibbaeum · Glottiphyllum · Gunnia · Gunniopsis · Gymnopoma · Halenbergia · Halimus · Hallianthus · Hammeria · Hartmanthus · Hereroa · Herrea · Herreanthus · Hydrodea · Hymenocyclus · Hymenogyne · Ihlenfeldtia · Imitaria · Jacobsenia · Jensenobotrya · Jordaaniella · Juttadinteria · Kensitia · Khadia · Kolleria · Lampetia · Lampranthus · Lapidaria · Leipoldtia · Lithops · Litocarpus · Ludolfia · Machairophyllum · Macrocaulon · Malephora · Marlothistella · Maughania · Maughaniella · Mentocalyx · Mesambryanthemum · Mesembrianthemum · Mesembryanthemum · Mestoklema · Metaporana · Meyerophytum · Micropterum · Miltus · Mimetophytum · Mitrophyllum · Monilaria · Mossia · Muiria · Myrtus · Namaquanthus · Namibia · Nananthus · Nelia · Neogunnia · Neohenricia · Neorhine · Nycteranthus · Octopoma · Odontophorus · Oophytum · Ophthalmophyllum · Opophytum · Orthopterum · Oscularia · Ottosonderia · Papularia · Peersia · Pentacoilanthus · Pherolobus · Phiambolia · Phyllobolus · Platythyra · Pleiospilos · Plinthus · Polymita · Portulacastrum · Prenia · Prepodesma · Psammophora · Pseudobrownanthus · Psilocaulon · Punctillaria · Pyxipoma · Rabiea · Radiana · Rhinephyllum · Rhombophyllum · Rimaria · Rocama · Roodia · Ruschia · Ruschianthemum · Ruschianthus · Saphesia · Sarcozona · Sceletium · Schlechteranthus · Schonlandia · Schwantesia · Scopelogena · Semnanthe · Sesuvium · Skiatophytum · Smicrostigma · Sphalmanthus · Stayneria · Stigmatocarpum · Stoeberia · Stomatium · Synaptophyllum · Tanquana · Tetracoilanthus · Tetragonella · Tetragonia · Thyrasperma · Tischleria · Titanopsis · Trianthema · Tribulocarpus · Trichodiadema · Vanheerdea · Vanheerdia · Vanzijlia · Verrucifera · Veslingia · Vlokia · Wooleya · Zaleya · Zeuktophyllum
- Species: ZipcodeZoo has pages for 5,445 species, subspecies, varieties, forms, and cultivars in the Family Aizoaceae.
Genera
Abryanthemum
Acaulon
Plants bulbiform, gregarious or scattered, reddish to yellowish brown distally, brown proximally. Stems short, to 0.5 mm; hyalodermis absent, sclerodermis absent, central strand absent; axillary hairs to ca. 5 cells in length, proximal cell walls sometimes thickened. Stem leaves strongly appressed and apices usually reflexed when dry, appressed to weakly spreading when moist; ovate, adaxial surface deeply concave, 0.5-1.75 mm; base not differentiated in shape, proximal margins not differentiated; distal margins plane or very weakly recurved, entire to serrulate or dentate; apex broadly acute, abruptly apiculate; costa excurrent in a stout, sharp apiculus, occasionally as a short, occasionally dentate awn, adaxial outgrowths absent in American species, adaxial cells elongate, in 3-4 rows; transverse section round, adaxial epidermis present, adaxial stereid band absent, guide cells 0-4 in 1 layer, hydroid strand usually present, occasionally central, abaxial stereid band present, usually weak, rounded in sectional shape, abaxial epidermis present; proximal cells not differentiated in shape, rectangular, little wider than distal cells, 3-4:1, walls of proximal cells thin; distal medial cells rounded-quadrate to rhomboid, ca. 13-15 µm wide, 1-4:1, 1-stratose; papillae absent or occasionally large and simple, one per lumen, cell walls evenly thickened, occasionally highly thickened on abaxial walls, convex on both sides of lamina. Specialized asexual reproduction absent. Sexual condition dioicous and perigoniate plants smaller, or monoicous, usually paroicous. Perichaetia terminal, interior leaves somewhat enlarged. Seta very short, to 0.2 mm. Capsule cleistocarpous, spheric, apiculus lacking, ca. 0.4-0.7 mm, annulus absent. Calyptra mitrate, often lobed. Spores ca. 25-35(-50) µm. KOH laminal color reaction red.[2] [more]
Acrodon
Acrosanthes
Aethephyllum
Agnirictus
Aistocaulon
Aizoanthemum
Aizoanthemum is a small of plant in the family Aizoaceae, native to Namibia and Angola. It has only 5 species. Before being given their own genus, these species were considered a subgenus of Aizoon. [more]
Aizoon
Aloinopsis
Aloinopsis is a relatively small genus of from South Africa, whose genus name stands for "similar to an Aloe". [more]
Amoebophyllum
Amphibolia
Amphibolia is a genus of in family Aizoaceae. [more]
Ancistrostigma
Anisocalyx
Anisostigma
Antegibbaeum
Antimima
Antimima is a genus of in family Aizoaceae. [more]
Apatesia
Aptenia
Subshrubs, succulent, minutely papillate to smooth, glabrous. Roots fibrous, sometimes thick and fleshy. Stems prostrate or climbing, green. Leaves cauline, opposite [alternate], petiolate, those of each pair equal; stipules absent; blade cordate [lanceolate], flat, margins entire. Inflorescences axillary [terminal], flowers solitary or in few-flowered clusters, sessile or peduncled; bracts absent. Flowers showy, campanulate, 1 cm diam.; hypanthium conic; calyx lobes 4, unequal, 2 larger and leaflike, 2 green, tapered; petals (including petaloid staminodia) 140, connate proximally, white, cream, yellow, or pink to purple; nectary absent; stamens 80, arising from hypanthium; pistil 4-carpellate; ovary inferior, 4-loculed; placentation axile; styles absent; stigmas 4, linear. Fruits capsules, hygroscopic, obconic; valves 4; valve lids and wings absent. Seeds 800, brownish black, flat, tuberculate; arils absent.[3] [more]
Arenifera
Argeta
Argyroderma
Aridaria
Aspazoma
Astridia
Astridia is a genus of in family Aizoaceae. [more]
Bergeranthus
Berresfordia
Bijlia
Blepharolepis
Bolusanthemum
Braunsia
Braunsia is a of plant in the family Aizoaceae. [more]
Brianhuntleya
Brownanthus
Brownanthus is a genus of in family Aizoaceae. [more]
Calamophyllum
Callistigma
Carpanthea
Carpobrotus
Subshrubs, succulent, glabrous. Roots fibrous. Stems trailing, mat-forming, 5-30 dm; rooting at nodes; inflorescence branches ascending. Leaves cauline, opposite, slightly connate basally, sessile, those of each pair equal; stipules absent; blade straight or curved, rounded-triangular to sharply 3-angled in cross section, thick, fleshy, margins entire or dentate. Inflorescences terminal or axillary, flowers solitary; bracts absent or 2, leaflike; pedicel [absent or 1-]10-60[-100] mm, erect. Flowers showy, tubular, 3-10[-15] cm diam.; calyx lobes 4-5, unequal, 2 larger ± opposite, sometimes leaflike, 2-3 inner, smaller, with expanded membranous margins; petals (including petaloid staminodia) to 250, distinct, magenta, pink, yellow, cream, or white; nectary absent; stamens to 600, erect; pistil 8-12[-25]-carpellate; ovary inferior, 8-12[-25]-loculed; placentation parietal; style absent; stigmas 8-12[-25], radiate, linear, plumose. Fruits berries, fleshy, edible, indehiscent; valves absent. Seeds to 1000, brown, obovoid, compressed, shiny, slightly tuberculate; arils absent.[4] [more]
Carruanthus
Caryotophora
Caulipsolon
Cephalophyllum
Cephalophyllum is a genus of in family Aizoaceae. [more]
Cerochlamys
Chasmatophyllum
Chaubardia
Cheiridopsis
Circandra
Cleretum
Conicosia
Herbs, perennial or biennial, usually short-lived, succulent, glabrous. Roots fibrous or tuberous. Stems: flowering shoots annual, prostrate to ascending. Leaves rosulate, or cauline and alternate or opposite, sessile; stipules absent; blade linear, ± grooved, ± triangular in cross section. Inflorescences axillary, flowers solitary; peduncle erect, 10(-12) cm; bracts absent. Flowers showy, tubular, 5-13 cm diam.; calyx lobes 5, green, unequal, wider at base, apex cylindric, basal margins of inner 3 lobes papery; petals (including petaloid staminodia) 250, distinct, free, yellow; nectary present; stamens 500+, distinct; filament bases hairy; pistil 10-25-carpellate; ovary inferior, connate in proximal 1/2, 10-25-loculed; placentation parietal with 2 seed pockets on outer wall of each locule; styles absent; stigmas 10-25, filiform. Fruits capsules, conic; valves 10-25, opening but not spreading when moistened, finally separating into 10-25 segments. Seeds 75-200, spheric, margins keeled, smooth; arils absent.[5] [more]
Conophyllum
Conophytum
Conopodium
Consolea
Trees, branched, 1-2[-10] m; trunk erect, indeterminate, unsegmented, terete to elliptic in cross section. Stem segments spreading, often falcate, usually elongate, smooth or distinctly reticulate, sometimes low tuberculate; areoles elliptic or triangular to subcircular, 5-15 mm diam.; wool yellow or tawny to cream. Spines absent or 2-25(-40) per areole, white to brownish yellow, aging gray to black, acicular, the longest (0.5-) 4-10(-12) cm, with epidermis intact, not sheathed. Glochids in tuft at adaxial margin of areole, yellow to brownish. Flowers bisexual (at least appearing so) or functionally unisexual (staminate with closed stigmas or pistillate with no pollen), 2.5-4.5 cm diam.; inner tepals spreading, red [or yellow, orange], rather fleshy; stamens and style not exerted or slightly so; filaments yellow to orange or pinkish, aging pink to red, outer filaments sometimes fused into staminal ring; style and stigma lobes pinkish; ovary usually flattened and upturned (bilaterally symmetric), tuberculate or not; nectar chamber covered by near-basal lateral projection of styles. Pollen 12-porate, finely reticulate, foveolate. Fruits commonly proliferating, green, yellow, or reddish, ovoid or ellipsoid to obovoid, falcate, sometimes flattened proximally, elliptic in cross section, 40-65 × 30-45 mm, fleshy, spiny [or spineless]. Seeds yellowish white, 3-4(-9) mm diam., sides woolly; girdle yellowish, sharply protruding. x = 11.[6] [more]
Corpuscularia
Crocanthus
Cryophytum
Cylindrophyllum
A Genus in the Kingdom Plantae. [more]
Cypselea
Herbs, annual, mat-forming, glabrous. Roots fibrous. Stems prostrate. Leaves cauline, opposite, those of each pair unequal; stipules sheathing stem, attached to proximal petiole margins, scarious, fringed; blade flat, elliptical to obovate, smooth, tapered to base, margins entire. Inflorescences axillary, flowers solitary; bracts foliaceous; bracteoles scarious, fringed. Flowers inconspicuous, 2-3 mm diam.; calyx campanulate; calyx lobes 4-5, unequal; petals and petaloid staminodia absent; stamens (1-) 3, alternating with calyx lobes; pistil usually 2-carpellate; ovary superior, 1-loculed, ovoid to globose; placentation free-central; styles and stigmas usually 2. Fruits capsules, dehiscence circumscissile. Seeds ca. 150; arils persistent on placentas, slender.[7] [more]
Dactylopsis
Deilanthe
Delosperma
Subshrubs [herbs, shrubs], perennial or rarely annual or biennial, usually succulent, sometimes hairy or prickly. Roots fibrous [tuberous]. Stems prostrate-creeping [erect, decumbent]. Leaves cauline, opposite, sessile; stipules absent; blade variable, slightly connate basally or distinct, broadly triangular to cylindric, linear, or rarely flat, finely papillate. Inflorescences axillary or terminal, flowers solitary or in cymes, pedicillate; bracts 2, leaflike. Flowers showy, tubular, 1.5-8 cm diam.; calyx lobes 5, green, linear, unequal; petals (often including petaloid staminodia) 60-100 in few series, distinct, free, white, yellow, or red; nectary glands 5, distinct or rarely connate; stamens ca. 100, inner stamens erect, whitish; pistil (4-) 5(-6) -carpellate; ovary inferior, (4-) 5(-6) -loculed, slightly convex; placentation parietal; style absent; stigmas (4-) 5(-6), subulate, sometimes caudate, apex acute, papillate. Fruits capsules, persistent, keels interior, expanding, usually with papery, marginal wings, membrane covering seed absent, dehiscence loculicidal, not separating into segments, not reclosing. Seeds ca. 100, pale brown, roundish, sometimes arillate, 5-15 mm, smooth to slightly textured.[8] [more]
Demidovia
Depacarpus
Derenbergia
Derenbergiella
Dicrocaulon
Didaste
Didymaotus
Dinteranthus
Diplochonium
Diplosoma
A Genus in the Kingdom Animalia. [more]
Disphyma
Dorotheanthus
Dracophilus
Drosanthemopsis
Drosanthemum
Shrubs, succulent, usually rough with hairlike papillae. Roots fibrous. Stems erect to prostrate. Leaves cauline, opposite, decussate, sessile, rarely connate basally; stipules absent; blade linear, trigonous to cylindric, equal, margins