The Aizoaceae, or fig-marigold family, is a large family of dicotyledonous flowering plants containing 135 genera and about 1800 species. Several genera are commonly known as 'ice plants' or 'carpet weeds'. The Aizoaceae are also referred to as vygies in South Africa and New Zealand. Some of the unusual Southern African genera—such as Conophytum, Lithops, Titanopsis and Pleiospilos —resemble gemstones, rocks or pebbles, and are sometimes referred to as 'living stones' or 'mesembs'.
Carpobrotus, commonly known as pigface, ice plant, sour fig, Hottentot fig, and clawberry is a genus of ground-creeping plants with succulent leaves and large daisy-like flowers. The name comes from the Ancient Greek karpos "fruit" and brotos "edible", referring to its edible fruits.
Lampranthus is a genus of succulent plants in the family Aizoaceae, indigenous to southern Africa.
Mesembryanthemum is a genus of flowering plants in the family Aizoaceae, indigenous to southern Africa. As with many members of that family, it is characterized by long-lasting flower heads. Flowers of Mesembryanthemum protect their gametes from night-time dews or frosts but open in sunlight. There is an obvious evolutionary advantage to doing this; where sun, dew, frost, wind or predators are likely to damage exposed reproductive organs, closing may be advantageous during times when flowers are unlikely to attract pollinators.
Aptenia was a small genus of flowering plants in the family Aizoaceae, which as of January 2024 was treated as a synonym of the genus Mesembryanthemum. Species formerly placed in the genus are native to southern Africa. The genus name is from the Greek a- (not) and ptenos (winged), and refers to the wingless fruit capsules.
Antimima is a succulent plant genus in the family Aizoaceae, indigenous to South Africa and Namibia.
Bulbine is a genus of plants in the family Asphodelaceae and subfamily Asphodeloideae, named for the bulb-shaped tuber of many species. It was formerly placed in the Liliaceae. It is found chiefly in Southern Africa, with a few species extending into tropical Africa and a few others in Australia and Yemen.
Cephalophyllum is a genus of plants in the family Aizoaceae.
Glottiphyllum is a genus of about 57 species of succulent subtropical plants of the family Aizoaceae. It is closely related to the Gibbaeum and Faucaria genera. The name comes from ancient Greek γλωττίς glottis "tongue" and φύλλον phyllon "leaf". The species are native to South Africa, specifically to Cape Province and the Karoo desert. They grow in rocks and soils incorporating slate, sandstone and quartz. Rainfall in their native areas is between 125 and 500 mm, most of which falls in March and November.
Argyroderma is a genus consisting of a dozen species of succulents in the iceplant family from South Africa.
Jordaaniella is a genus of plants in the family Aizoaceae. The plants of this genus are indigenous to Namibia and South Africa's Cape Provinces in southern Africa. Seven species are accepted:
Chasmatophyllum is a genus of succulent plants native to South Africa, Lesotho, and Namibia in southern Africa.
Cleretum is a genus of flowering plants in the family Aizoaceae, native to the Cape Provinces of South Africa.
Curio is a genus of flowering plant in the family Asteraceae. Plants in the genus are evergreen succulents with long, striated leaves and discoid flower heads lacking ray florets.
Pleiospilos compactus, called living rock, is a species of flowering plant in the ice plant genus Pleiospilos, native to the southwestern Cape Provinces of South Africa. A succulent, it has gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit.
Eberlanzia is a genus of flowering plants belonging to the family Aizoaceae.
Esterhuysenia is a genus of flowering plants belonging to the family Aizoaceae.
Erepsia is a genus of flowering plants belonging to the family Aizoaceae.
Leipoldtia is a genus of flowering plants belonging to the family Aizoaceae.
