The Crassulaceae, also known as the stonecrop family or the orpine family, are a diverse family of dicotyledon flowering plants characterized by succulent leaves and a unique form of photosynthesis, known as Crassulacean acid metabolism (CAM). Flowers generally have five floral parts. Crassulaceae are usually herbaceous but there are some subshrubs, and relatively few treelike or aquatic plants. Crassulaceae are a medium size monophyletic family in the core eudicots, among the order Saxifragales, whose diversity has made infrafamilial classification very difficult. The family includes approximately 1,400 species and 34–35 genera, depending on the circumscription of the genus Sedum, and distributed over three subfamilies. Members of the Crassulaceae are found worldwide, but mostly in the Northern Hemisphere and southern Africa, typically in dry and/or cold areas where water may be scarce, although a few are aquatic.
Sempervivum is a genus of about 40 species of flowering plants in the family Crassulaceae, commonly known as houseleeks. Other common names include liveforever and hen and chicks, a name shared with plants of other genera as well. They are succulent perennials forming mats composed of tufted leaves in rosettes. In favourable conditions they spread rapidly via offsets, and several species are valued in cultivation as groundcover for dry, sunny locations.
Aeonium, the tree houseleeks, is a genus of about 35 species of succulent, subtropical plants of the family Crassulaceae. Many species are popular in horticulture. The genus name comes from the ancient Greek "αιώνιος"/"aionios" (ageless). While most of them are native to the Canary Islands, some are found in Madeira, Morocco, and in East Africa.
Aichryson is a genus of about 15 species of succulent, subtropical plants, mostly native to the Canary Islands, with a few in the Azores, Madeira and Morocco, and one in Portugal.
Monanthes is a genus of small, succulent, subtropical plants of the family Crassulaceae. The about ten species are mostly endemic to the Canary Islands and Savage Islands, with some found on Madeira. Its center of diversity is Tenerife, with seven species occurring on this island. On Fuerteventura and Lanzarote, only M. laxiflora occurs. Monanthes is a rare example where a species re-colonizes the continent from an island, after their ancestors have colonized the island from the continent.
Sedum is a large genus of flowering plants in the family Crassulaceae, members of which are commonly known as stonecrops. The genus has been described as containing up to 600 species, subsequently reduced to 400–500. They are leaf succulents found primarily in the Northern Hemisphere, but extending into the southern hemisphere in Africa and South America. The plants vary from annual and creeping herbs to shrubs. The plants have water-storing leaves. The flowers usually have five petals, seldom four or six. There are typically twice as many stamens as petals. Various species formerly classified as Sedum are now in the segregate genera Hylotelephium and Rhodiola.
Aeonium arboreum, the tree aeonium, tree houseleek, or Irish rose, is a succulent, subtropical subshrub in the flowering plant family Crassulaceae.
Aeonium nobile is a succulent, subtropical flowering plant in the family Crassulaceae. It is native to the island of La Palma in the Canary Islands, where it grows on dry slopes and cliffs at altitudes up to 800m. The inflorescences are large and spreading with bright red flowers.
Aeonium haworthii, also known as Haworth's aeonium or pinwheel, is a species of succulent flowering plant in the family Crassulaceae. It is grown as a houseplant in temperate regions. It has gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit, as has the cultivar ‘Variegatum’.
Aeonium undulatum is a succulent, evergreen flowering plant in the family Crassulaceae. It is a subshrub, one of the larger species of Aeonium with a large leaf rosette often over a metre from the ground on a single, unbranched stem. Other rosettes do not branch off this stem (normally) but grow from the bottom, unlike most aeoniums. The plant is monocarpic so the flowering stem will die when it flowers which is normally after about 5 years.
Aeonium glutinosum is a species of flowering plant in the family Crassulaceae endemic to Madeira, Portugal. It has fairly thick leaves and its appearance varies depending on its growing conditions. One characteristic is the very sticky stem of the inflorescence. The main flower is shown but small stalks with flowers continue to appear for several months.
Aeonium hierrense is a species of succulent flowering plant in the family Crassulaceae that is endemic to the island of El Hierro in the Canary islands. It has whorls of strongly ciliate leaves borne on a stem up to 1m in height. The leaves takes on an attractive purple colour during the summer, being quite green in the winter. It produces whitish pink flowers that have 8-fold symmetry.
Aeonium tabuliforme, the flat-topped aeonium or saucer plant, is a species of succulent plant in the family Crassulaceae, native and endemic to Tenerife in the Canary Islands. It grows on moist, north-facing cliffs and ledges at low altitude. A mass of fleshy, hairy, bright green leaves in flat rosettes, is produced on short unbranched stems, often on vertical surfaces.
Graptopetalum macdougallii is a plant belonging to the succulent genus Graptopetalum. It is native to Mexico. It grows on shady rocks, or rarely as an epiphyte, at an altitude of 1200 – 2100 meters, geographically isolated from all other Graptopetalum species.
Aeonium sedifolium is a perennial flowering plant in the stonecrop family Crassulaceae. The plant is native to the western Canary Islands of Tenerife, La Gomera and La Palma.
Aeonium balsamiferum is a species of tropical flowering plant in the family Crassulaceae. The species is endemic in the Canary Islands.
Sempervivum ciliosum, the Teneriffe houseleek, is a species of flowering plant in the stonecrop family Crassulaceae, native to Southeastern Europe. Growing to just 10 cm (3.9 in) high by 50 cm (20 in) wide, it is a spreading evergreen perennial. It forms spheres of pointed, succulent, hairy grey-green leaves. Mature rosettes may produce yellowish flowers on stalks up to 10 cm (3.9 in) in summer. Despite a superficial resemblance, houseleeks are not closely related to cacti.
Aeonium dodrantale is a species of tree houseleek in the family Crassulaceae.
Sempervivoideae is the largest of three subfamilies in the Saxifragales family Crassulaceae, with about 20–30 genera with succulent leaves. Unlike the two smaller subfamilies, it is distributed in temperate climates. The largest genus in this subfamily is Sedum, with about 470 species.
