The Aizoaceae, or fig-marigold family, is a large family of dicotyledonous flowering plants containing 135 genera and about 1,800 species. Several genera are commonly known as 'ice plants' or 'carpet weeds'. The Aizoaceae are also referred to as vygies in South Africa. 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'.
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.
Nicholas Edward Brown was an English plant taxonomist and authority on succulents. He was also an authority on several families of plants, including Asclepiadaceae, Aizoaceae, Labiatae and Cape plants.
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.
Mesembryanthemum namibense, synonym Brownanthus namibensis, is a species of flowering plant in the family Aizoaceae. It is endemic to Namibia. Its natural habitat is rocky areas. It is threatened by habitat loss.
Mesembryanthemum crystallinum is a species of annual/perennial, succulent flowering plant in the "mesemb" genus of the Aizoaceae family.
Carpobrotus virescens, commonly known as coastal pigface, is a prostrate coastal succulent shrub of the family Aizoaceae native to Western Australia. The Noongar peoples know the plant as Kolbogo or Metjarak.
Sesuvium portulacastrum is a sprawling perennial herb in the family Aizoaceae that grows in coastal and mangrove areas throughout much of the world. It grows in sandy clay, coastal limestone and sandstone, tidal flats and salt marshes, throughout much of the world. It is native to Africa, Asia, Australia, Hawai`i, North America and South America, and has naturalised in many places where it is not indigenous.
Mesembryanthemum cordifolium, formerly known as Aptenia cordifolia, is a species of succulent plant in the iceplant family. It is a creeping plant that forms a carpet of flat-growing perennial herbs in groups on the ground from a base. The genus name means middle-embryo flower in reference to the position of the ovary in the flower. The specific epithet is derived from Latin for heart-shaped leaves.
Aizoon pubescens is a low-growing perennial herb in the family Aizoaceae. It is native to South Africa and naturalised elsewhere.
Lampranthus sociorum is a species of plants in the family Aizoaceae.
Aizoon or Aizoön is a genus of flowering plants in the iceplant family, Aizoaceae.
Conophytum jucundum is a species of succulent plants belonging to the family Aizoaceae. As its synonym Conophytum gratum, the pleasing cone plant, it has gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit.
Cleretum bellidiforme, commonly called Livingstone daisy, Bokbaaivygie (Afrikaans), or Buck Bay vygie, is a species of flowering plant in the family Aizoaceae, native to the Cape Peninsula in South Africa. It is a low-growing succulent annual growing to 25 cm (10 in), and cultivated for its iridescent, many-petalled, daisy-like blooms in shades of white, yellow, orange, cream, pink and crimson. In temperate areas it is popularly grown as a half-hardy annual, and lends itself to mass plantings or as edging plants in summer bedding schemes in parks and gardens. It is still widely referenced under its former names, Mesembryanthemum criniflorum and Dorotheanthus bellidiformis.
Dorotheantheae is a small tribe of annual succulents in the Aizoaceae subfamily Ruschioideae. Though it originally comprised three genera, Cleretum remains as the only recognised genus. Dorotheantheae are endemic to the western and south-western parts of South Africa. The type genus is Dorotheanthus, despite it being no longer recognised.
Cleretum is a genus of flowering plants in the family Aizoaceae, native to the Cape Provinces of South Africa.
Mesembryanthemum digitatum, or finger-and-thumb plant, is a stemless plant found in South Africa with a clump of 2–4 thick, waxy leaves per shoot that emerge from the ground which resemble human-like fingers.
Mesembryanthemum lancifolium is a species of plant in the family Aizoaceae. They are succulent plants.
Lemonanthemum zygophylloides is a species of flowering plant in the family Aizoaceae. It is a succulent subshrub endemic to the southwestern Cape Provinces of South Africa. It is the sole species in genus Lemonanthemum.
