The Aizoaceae, or fig-marigold family, is a large
family
Family (from la, familia) is a group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its members and of society. Idea ...
of
dicotyledonous
flowering plant
Flowering plants are plants that bear flowers and fruits, and form the clade Angiospermae (), commonly called angiosperms. The term "angiosperm" is derived from the Greek words ('container, vessel') and ('seed'), and refers to those plants th ...
s containing 135
genera and about 1800
species
In biology, a species is the basic unit of classification and a taxonomic rank of an organism, as well as a unit of biodiversity. A species is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate s ...
. They are commonly known as ice plants or carpet weeds. They are often called vygies in South Africa and New Zealand. Highly
succulent species that resemble stones are sometimes called mesembs.
Description
The family Aizoaceae is widely recognised by taxonomists. It once went by the botanical name "Ficoidaceae", now disallowed. The
APG II system
The APG II system (Angiosperm Phylogeny Group II system) of plant classification is the second, now obsolete, version of a modern, mostly molecular-based, system of plant taxonomy that was published in April 2003 by the Angiosperm Phylogeny Gr ...
of 2003 (unchanged from the
APG system
The APG system (Angiosperm Phylogeny Group system) of plant classification is the first version of a modern, mostly molecular-based, system of plant taxonomy. Published in 1998 by the Angiosperm Phylogeny Group, it was replaced by the improved A ...
of 1998) also recognizes the family, and assigns it to the order
Caryophyllales
Caryophyllales ( ) is a diverse and heterogeneous order of flowering plants that includes the cacti, carnations, amaranths, ice plants, beets, and many carnivorous plants. Many members are succulent, having fleshy stems or leaves. The betalai ...
in the clade
core eudicots
The eudicots, Eudicotidae, or eudicotyledons are a clade of flowering plants mainly characterized by having two seed leaves upon germination. The term derives from Dicotyledons.
Traditionally they were called tricolpates or non-magnoliid dicots ...
. The APG II system also classes the former families Mesembryanthemaceae
Fenzl, Sesuviaceae
Horan. and Tetragoniaceae
Link under the family Aizoaceae.
The common Afrikaans name "vygie" meaning "small fig" refers to the
fruiting capsule, which resembles the true fig.
Glistening epidermal bladder cells give the family its common name "ice plants".
Most species (96%, 1782 species in 132 genera) in this family are endemic to arid or semiarid parts of Southern
Africa
Africa is the world's second-largest and second-most populous continent, after Asia in both cases. At about 30.3 million km2 (11.7 million square miles) including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of Earth's total surface area ...
in the
Succulent Karoo.
Much of the Aizoaceae's diversity is found in the
Greater Cape Floristic Region, which is the most plant-diverse temperate region in the world. A few species are found in
Australia and the
Central Pacific area.
Most fig-marigolds are
herbaceous, rarely somewhat woody, with
sympodial
Sympodial growth is a bifurcating branching pattern where one branch develops more strongly than the other, resulting in the stronger branches forming the primary shoot and the weaker branches appearing laterally. A sympodium, also referred to a ...
growth and
stems either erect or prostrate.
Leaves are simple, opposite or alternate, and more or less succulent with entire (or rarely toothed) margins.
Flower
A flower, sometimes known as a bloom or blossom, is the reproductive structure found in flowering plants (plants of the division Angiospermae). The biological function of a flower is to facilitate reproduction, usually by providing a mechani ...
s are perfect in most species (but unisexual in some), actinomorphic, and appear singularly or in few-flowered cymes developing from the leaf axils.
Sepal
A sepal () is a part of the flower of angiosperms (flowering plants). Usually green, sepals typically function as protection for the flower in bud, and often as support for the petals when in bloom., p. 106 The term ''sepalum'' was coine ...
s are typically five (3-8) and more or less connate (fused) below. True
petals are absent. However, some species have numerous linear petals derived from staminodes. The seed capsules have one to numerous seeds per cell and are often
hygrochastic, dispersing seeds by "jet action" when wet.
Evolution
The radiation of the Aizoaceae, specifically the subfamily Ruschioideae, was one of the most recent among the
angiosperms
Flowering plants are plants that bear flowers and fruits, and form the clade Angiospermae (), commonly called angiosperms. The term "angiosperm" is derived from the Greek words ('container, vessel') and ('seed'), and refers to those plants ...
, occurring 1.13-6.49 Mya. It is also one of the fastest radiations ever described in the angiosperms, with a diversification rate of about 4.4 species per million years.
This diversification was roughly contemporaneous with major radiations in two other succulent lineages,
Cactaceae
A cactus (, or less commonly, cactus) is a member of the plant family Cactaceae, a family comprising about 127 genera with some 1750 known species of the order Caryophyllales. The word ''cactus'' derives, through Latin, from the Ancient Gree ...
and ''
Agave
''Agave'' (; ; ) is a genus of monocots native to the hot and arid regions of the Americas and the Caribbean, although some ''Agave'' species are also native to tropical areas of North America, such as Mexico. The genus is primarily known for ...
.''
The family includes many species that use
crassulacean acid metabolism
Crassulacean acid metabolism, also known as CAM photosynthesis, is a carbon fixation pathway that evolved in some plants as an adaptation to arid conditions that allows a plant to photosynthesize during the day, but only exchange gases at night. ...
as pathway for
carbon fixation. Some species in the subfamily Sesuvioideae instead use
carbon fixation, which might have evolved multiple times in the group.
Taxonomy
Because of the hyperdiversity of the Aizoaceae and the young age of the clade, many generic and species boundaries are uncertain.
Subfamily Acrosanthoideae
Genera:
*''
Acrosanthes''
Eckl. & Zeyh.
Subfamily Aizooideae
Genera:
*''
Aizoanthemopsis''
Klak
*''
Aizoanthemum''
Dinter ex Friedrich
*''
Aizoon
''Aizoon'' or ''Aizoön'' is a genus of flowering plants in the iceplant family, Aizoaceae.
Distribution
Apart from A. canariense (which is native to Macaronesia, North Africa, Southern Africa, Horn of Africa and West Asia) all species are nat ...
''
L.
*''
Gunniopsis''
Pax
*''
Tetragonia
''Tetragonia'' is a genus of about 85 species of flowering plants in the family Aizoaceae, native to temperate and subtropical regions mostly of the Southern Hemisphere, in New Zealand, Australia, southern Africa and South America.
Descriptio ...
''
L.
Subfamily Mesembryanthemoideae
Genera:
Subfamily Ruschioideae
Genera:
;Tribe
Ruschieae
*''
Acrodon
''Acrodon'' is a genus of ice plants from South Africa. It comprises 8 species, mostly endangered and all restricted to the southern Cape regions of the Western Cape and Eastern Cape Provinces, South Africa.
Description
Species of ''Acrodon'' f ...
''
N.E.Br
*''
Aloinopsis''
Schwantes
*''
Amphibolia''
L.Bolus ex A.G.J.Herre
*''
Antegibbaeum''
Schwantes ex C.Weber
*''
Antimima''
N.E.Br
*''
Arenifera''
A.G.J.Herre
*''
Argyroderma''
N.E.Br
*''
Astridia''
Dinter
*''
Bergeranthus
''Bergeranthus'' is a genus of flowering plants belonging to the family Aizoaceae.
Its native range is South African Republic.
Species:
*''Bergeranthus albomarginatus''
*''Bergeranthus concavus''
*''Bergeranthus longisepalus''
*''Bergeranth ...
''
Schwantes
*''
Bijlia''
N.E.Br
*''
Braunsia''
Schwantes
*''
Brianhuntleya''
Chess. et al.
*''
Carpobrotus''
N.E.Br
*''
Carruanthus''
(Schwantes) Schwantes
*''
Cephalophyllum''
N.E.Br
*''
Cerochlamys''
N.E.Br
*''
Chasmatophyllum''
Dinter & Schwantes
*''
Cheiridopsis''
N.E.Br
*''
Circandra''
N.E.Br
*''
Conophytum
''Conophytum'' is a genus of South African and Namibian succulent plants that belong to the family Aizoaceae. The name is derived from the Latin ''conus'' (cone) and Greek ''phytum'' (plant). The plants are also known as knopies (buttons in ...
''
N.E.Br
*''
Corpuscularia''
Schwantes
*''
Cylindrophyllum''
Schwantes
*''
Delosperma
''Delosperma'' ('delos'=evident, 'sperma'=seed) is a genus of around 170 species of succulent plants, formerly included in ''Mesembryanthemum'' in the family Aizoaceae. It was defined by English botanist N. E. Brown in 1925. The genus is common ...
''
N.E.Br
*''
Dicrocaulon''
N.E.Br
*''
Didymaotus''
N.E.Br
*''
Dinteranthus''
Schwantes
*''
Diplosoma''
Schwantes
*''
Disphyma''
N.E.Br
*''
Dracophilus''
(Schwantes) Dinter & Schwantes
*''
Drosanthemum''
Schwantes
*''
Eberlanzia''
Schwantes
*''
Ebracteola''
Dinter & Schwantes
*''
Ectotropis''
N.E.Br
*''
Enarganthe''
N.E.Br
*''
Erepsia''
N.E.Br
*''
Esterhuysenia''
L.Bolus
*''
Faucaria''
Schwantes
*''
Fenestraria
''Fenestraria'' (known as babies' toes or window plant) is a (possibly monotypic) genus of succulent plants in the family Aizoaceae, native to the Namaqualand in Namibia.
Description
The only species currently recognised in this genus is '' ...
''
N.E.Br
*''
Frithia''
N.E.Br
*''
Gibbaeum''
Haw. ex N.E.Br
*''
Glottiphyllum''
Haw. ex N.E.Br
*''
Hallianthus''
H.E.K.Hartmann
*''
Hereroa''
(Schwantes) Dinter & Schwantes
*''
Ihlenfeldtia''
H.E.K.Hartmann
*''
Imitaria''
N.E.Br
*''
Jacobsenia''
L.Bolus & Schwantes
*''
Jensenobotrya''
A.G.J.Herre
*''
Jordaaniella
''Jordaaniella'' is a genus of plants in the family Aizoaceae
The Aizoaceae, or fig-marigold family, is a large family of dicotyledonous flowering plants containing 135 genera and about 1800 species. They are commonly known as ice plants or ...
''
H.E.K.Hartmann
*''
Juttadinteria''
Schwantes
*''
Khadia''
N.E.Br
*''
Lampranthus''
N.E.Br
*''
Lapidaria''
(Dinter & Schwantes) N.E.Br.
*''
Leipoldtia''
L.Bolus
*''
Lemonanthemum''
Klak
*''
Lithops
''Lithops'' is a genus of succulent plants in the ice plant family, Aizoaceae. Members of the genus are native to southern Africa. The name is derived from the Ancient Greek words () 'stone' and () 'face', referring to the stone-like appearanc ...
''
N.E.Br
*''
Machairophyllum''
Schwantes
*''
Malephora''
N.E.Br
*''
Malotigena''
Niederle
*''
Marlothistella
''Marlothistella'' is a genus of flowering plants belonging to the family Aizoaceae.
It is native to the Cape Provinces within South African.
The genus name of ''Marlothistella'' is in honour of Rudolf Marloth
Hermann Wilhelm Rudolf Marloth ...
''
Schwantes
*''
Mestoklema''
N.E.Br. ex Glen
*''
Meyerophytum''
Schwantes
*''
Mitrophyllum''
Schwantes
*''
Monilaria''
(Schwantes) Schwantes
*''
Mossia
''Mossia'' is a monotypic genus of flowering plants belonging to the family Aizoaceae. It only contains one known species, ''Mossia intervallaris''.
Its native range is Lesotho and South Africa and it is found in the provinces of the Cape Provi ...
''
N.E.Br
*''
Muiria''
N.E.Br
*''
Namaquanthus''
L.Bolus
*''
Namibia
Namibia (, ), officially the Republic of Namibia, is a country in Southern Africa. Its western border is the Atlantic Ocean. It shares land borders with Zambia and Angola to the north, Botswana to the east and South Africa to the south and ea ...
''
(Schwantes) Schwantes
*''
Nananthus''
N.E.Br
*''
Nelia
Nelia or Neleia ( grc, Νηλία or Νήλεια) was a town of Magnesia in ancient Thessaly; Demetrias was situated between it and Iolcus. Strabo reports that when Demetrios Poliorketes
Demetrius I (; grc, Δημήτριος; 337–283 BC), ...
''
Schwantes
*''
Neohenricia''
L.Bolus
*''
Octopoma''
N.E.Br
*''
Odontophorus''
N.E.Br
*''
Oophytum''
N.E.Br
*''
Orthopterum''
L.Bolus
*''
Oscularia''
Schwantes
*''
Ottosonderia
''Ottosonderia'' is a genus of flowering plants belonging to the family Aizoaceae.
Its native range is the Cape Provinces in South Africa.
The genus name of ''Ottosonderia'' is in honour of Otto Wilhelm Sonder
Otto Wilhelm Sonder (18 June 1 ...
''
L.Bolus
*''
Phiambolia''
Klak
*''
Pleiospilos
''Pleiospilos'' is a genus of succulent flowering plants of the family Aizoaceae, native to South Africa. The name is derived from the Greek ''pleios'' "many" and ''spìlos'' "spot". The plants are also known as ''kwaggavy'' ("Quagga
The ...
''
N.E.Br
*''
Polymita''
N.E.Br
*''
Psammophora''
Dinter & Schwantes
*''
Rabiea''
N.E.Br
*''
Rhinephyllum''
N.E.Br
*''
Rhombophyllum''
(Schwantes) Schwantes
*''
Roosia''
van Jaarsv.
*''
Ruschia''
Schwantes
*''
Ruschianthemum''
Friedrich
*''
Ruschianthus''
L.Bolus
*''
Sarcozona''
J.M.Black
*''
Schlechteranthus''
Schwantes
*''
Schwantesia
''Schwantesia'' is a genus of plant in the family Aizoaceae. It is named in honor of the German botanist and archaeologist Gustav Schwantes (1881 - 1960).Genaust, Helmut (1976). ''Etymologisches Wörterbuch der botanischen Pflanzennamen''
''Sc ...
''
Dinter
*''
Scopelogena''
L.Bolus
*''
Smicrostigma''
N.E.Br
*''
Stayneria
''Stayneria'' (or 'white-flowered mesemb') is a genus of flowering plants belonging to the family Aizoaceae. It contains a single species, ''Stayneria neilii''. It is in the subfamily Ruschioideae and the tribe Ruschieae.
It is native to the Cap ...
''
L.Bolus
*''
Stoeberia''
Dinter & Schwantes
*''
Stomatium
''Stomatium'' is a genus of succulent plants in the ice plant family, Aizoaceae. Members of the genus are native to southern Africa
Southern Africa is the southernmost subregion of the African continent, south of the Congo and Tanzania. T ...
''
Schwantes
*''
Tanquana''
H.E.K.Hartmann & Liede
*''
Titanopsis''
Schwantes
*''
Trichodiadema''
Schwantes
*''
Vanheerdea''
L.Bolus ex H.E.K.Hartmann
*''
Vanzijlia''
L.Bolus
*''
Vlokia
''Vlokia'' is a genus of flowering plants in the family Aizoaceae
The Aizoaceae, or fig-marigold family, is a large family of dicotyledonous flowering plants containing 135 genera and about 1800 species. They are commonly known as ice plant ...
''
S.A.Hammer
*''
Wooleya''
L.Bolus
*''
Zeuktophyllum''
N.E.Br
Subfamily Sesuvioideae
This subfamily includes a number of species.
Genera:
*''
Anisostigma''
Schinz
*''
Sesuvium''
L.
*''
Trianthema''
L.
*''
Tribulocarpus''
S.Moore
*''
Zaleya''
Burm.f.
Unplaced genera
Include;
* ''
Hammeria
''Hammeria'' is a genus of flowering plants belonging to the family Aizoaceae.
It is native to the Cape Provinces
The Cape Provinces of South Africa is a biogeographical area used in the World Geographical Scheme for Recording Plant Distribut ...
''
* ''
Peersia''
Uses
Several genera are cultivated. ''
Lithops
''Lithops'' is a genus of succulent plants in the ice plant family, Aizoaceae. Members of the genus are native to southern Africa. The name is derived from the Ancient Greek words () 'stone' and () 'face', referring to the stone-like appearanc ...
'', or "living stones", are popular as novelty house plants because of their stone-like appearance.
Some species are edible, including:
* ''
Carpobrotus edulis
''Carpobrotus edulis'' is a ground-creeping plant with succulent leaves in the genus ''Carpobrotus'', native to South Africa. Its common names include hottentot-fig, sour fig, ice plant or highway ice plant.
Description
''Carpobrotus edulis'' ...
'' (Hottentot fig, highway ice plant) has
edible leaves and fruit.
* ''
Mesembryanthemum crystallinum
''Mesembryanthemum crystallinum'' is a prostrate succulent plant native to Africa, Sinai and southern Europe, and naturalized in the New World. The plant is covered with large, glistening bladder cells or water vesicles, reflected in its common ...
'' has edible leaves.
[
* '' Tetragonia tetragonoides'' ("New Zealand spinach") is grown as a garden plant in somewhat dry climates and used as an alternative to spinach in upscale ]salad
A salad is a dish consisting of mixed, mostly natural ingredients with at least one raw ingredient. They are typically served at room temperature or chilled, though some can be served warm. Condiments and salad dressings, which exist in a va ...
s.
'' C. edulis'' was introduced to California in the early 1900s to stabilize soil along railroad tracks and has become invasive. In southern California, ice plants are sometimes used as firewalls; however, they do burn if not carefully maintained.
References
Further reading
*
*
External links
Aizoaceae
in L. Watson and M.J. Dallwitz (1992 onwards)
''The families of flowering plants''
NCBI Taxonomy Browser
P. Chesselet (2004 onwards). Interactive Mesembs2
Plants of southern Africa (2005 onwards). SANBI
Flowers in Israel
i
BoDD – Botanical Dermatology Database
{{Taxonbar, from=Q156219
Caryophyllales families
Flora of South Africa
Fynbos
Succulent plants
https://github.com/fo808/pr-test/commit/3de9b12b3eb377f5407d7894ec97c03b7b01900f