Aizoaceae

• Authority

  Gleason, Henry A. & Cronquist, Arthur J. 1991. Manual of vascular plants of northeastern United States and adjacent Canada. lxxv + 910 pp.

• Family

  Aizoaceae

• Scientific Name

  Aizoaceae

• Description

  Family Description - Fls perfect (in ours) or seldom unisexual, perigynous to epigynous; sep commonly 5; pet typically numerous, in 1–6 cycles, mostly linear, or sometimes (including both of our spp.) wanting; stamens 5-merous, sometimes basally connate into groups; gynoecium of 2–5 or more numerous carpels united to form a compound ovary with distinct (or distally distinct) styles, or sometimes apparently reduced to a single carpel; ovary generally with as many locules as carpels; ovules solitary to usually ± numerous in each locule, on axile, basal, apical, or parietal placentas, campylotropous to almost anatropous; fr most commonly a loculicidal capsule, but in ours circumscissile, often ± included in the persistent cal; seeds with an elongate, dicotyledonous, peripheral embryo curved around the abundant perisperm; succulent herbs (ours) or less commonly shrubs, very often with anomalous secondary growth, producing betalains but not anthocyanins; lvs opposite or alternate, simple and generally entire, exstipulate, or sometimes with interpetiolar stipules; fls in rather small cymose infls, or solitary in the axils. 60/2500.

• Common Names

  The fig marigold family