Aizoaceae

Acrodon

Acrodon

Monotypic genus of the Aizoaceae family native to the Western Cape of South Africa. Its plants are low-growing succulents forming small shrubs with triquetrous leaves. Flowers have white to pink petals very similar to daisies.

Aizoon

Aizoon

Small genus of annual and perennial succulent plants in the family Aizoaceae, native to the Mediterranean region, Macaronesia, and North Africa. Plants form prostrate or erect stems with fleshy leaves and small flowers with numerous stamens. They inhabit arid coastal zones, beaches, and saline soils.

Aloinopsis

Aloinopsis

Genus of succulent plants belonging to the family Aizoaceae, comprising about 12–15 species endemic mainly to southern Africa (Karoo and Namaqualand). They are geophytic winter-growing plants forming compact rosettes with thick, fleshy leaves, often covered in tubercles. They produce large taproot systems to store water and nutrients. The daisy-like flowers are yellow or pink with darker stripes and open only in bright sunlight.

Antegibbaeum

Antegibbaeum

Monotypic genus of succulent plants in the family Aizoaceae, endemic to the Western Cape of South Africa. Forms small clumps of paired glaucous succulent leaves with a pronounced keel, producing diurnal pink flowers in winter.

Antimima

Antimima

Genus of small succulents in the family Aizoaceae, native to the arid regions of South Africa and Namibia. Form small clumping shrublets with cylindrical or triquetrous succulent leaves, producing generally white or pink flowers. Segregated from Ruschia and related genera.

Aptenia

Aptenia

Genus of small trailing succulents in the family Aizoaceae, native to southern Africa and widely naturalized in the Mediterranean and coastal areas. Notable for their pendulous stems with fleshy heart-shaped leaves and abundant pink, red, or white flowers. Widely used as hanging plants and groundcovers.

Argyroderma

Argyroderma

Argyroderma is a genus of highly specialized mesembs in the Aizoaceae family, characterised by plant bodies consisting of one or two pairs of very succulent, semicircular-in-section leaves in silver-grey to grey-green tones that precisely mimic the semi-translucent quartz pebbles among which they grow. The generic name derives from the Greek argyros (silver) and derma (skin), referencing the striking metallic colouration of the leaves. The flowers emerging from the central fissure are violet-pink, magenta, or white depending on the species, and represent some of the most intense floral colours in the family. The genus is strictly restricted to the quartz fields of the Western Cape Province, an ecosystem of exceptional endemic richness.

Aridaria

Aridaria

Genus of succulent mesembs in the family Aizoaceae, endemic to the arid regions of the Cape of South Africa. Characterized by long-tubed flowers, opposite fleshy leaves, and adaptations to the quartz fields of Namaqualand. Segregated from related genera.

Astridia

Astridia

Genus of succulent shrubs in the family Aizoaceae, native to Namibia and northern South Africa. Form small shrubs with triquetrous succulent leaves and pink or white multi-petalled flowers. Grow in arid rocky and sandy habitats with coastal fog.

Bergeranthus

Bergeranthus

Genus of succulent mesembs in the family Aizoaceae, endemic to the Eastern Cape of South Africa. Form rosettes of triangular or semicylindrical fleshy leaves, producing many-petalled diurnal yellow flowers. Distinguished from related genera by their characteristic fruits. Named in honour of German botanist Alwin Berger.

Bijlia

Bijlia

Genus of succulent mesembs in the family Aizoaceae, endemic to south-western South Africa. Form small clumps of glaucous triquetrous fleshy leaves and produce bright yellow flowers. Adapted to sandy soils and extreme drought conditions.

Braunsia

Braunsia

Small genus of mesemb succulents in the family Aizoaceae, subfamily Ruschioideae, endemic to the Western Cape of South Africa. They form small creeping shrublets with very fleshy, fusiform, glaucous green leaves and bright pink to magenta flowers. Typical of the Fynbos and Succulent Karoo.

Carpobrotus

Carpobrotus

Genus of creeping succulents in the family Aizoaceae, native mainly to South Africa. Known as "Hottentot fig" or "ice plant", their very fleshy triangular leaves and large showy flowers make them instantly recognisable. Several species are highly invasive on Mediterranean, Californian and Australian coastlines.

Carruanthus

Carruanthus

Cephalophyllum

Cephalophyllum

Genus of succulent plants in the Aizoaceae family, endemic to SW South Africa and Namibia. They form dense mats of fleshy triangular or cylindrical leaves and produce showy daisy-like flowers in red, pink, yellow or white hues.

Cerochlamys

Cerochlamys

Monotypic genus of succulents belonging to the Aizoaceae family, endemic to the Cape region of South Africa. The name derives from the Greek "keros" (wax) and "chlamys" (cloak), alluding to the waxy texture and characteristic protuberances of its thickened leaves. Currently it recognises a single valid species, Cerochlamys pachyphylla, although additional varieties have historically been described. Plants of this genus are low-growing succulents with very thick, fleshy leaves adapted to arid Mediterranean climates of south-western Africa.

Chasmatophyllum

Chasmatophyllum

Small genus of succulent plants of the Aizoaceae family, endemic to the arid Cape regions of South Africa and Namibia. Species form compact cushions of thick succulent leaves with toothed or smooth margins. Flowers are large and showy relative to plant size, yellow to orange. Related to Dinteranthus and Lithops. The name derives from Greek chásma (opening) and phýllon (leaf), for the way the leaves separate with age.

Cheiridopsis

Cheiridopsis

Genus of succulent plants of the Aizoaceae family, endemic to the arid Karoo and Namaqualand regions of South Africa and Namibia. Species form plants of one to several pairs of very thick, fleshy succulent leaves, generally in unequal pairs. Leaves are greyish-green, frequently with a basal sheath that encloses the developing new leaf (hence the Greek name cheiris = glove/sheath). Flowers are large, showy, yellow, white, pink or orange. The genus was described by N.E. Brown and comprises over 80 recognised species, all from very arid, stony habitats.

Conophyllum

Conophyllum

Conophytum

Conophytum

Genus of dwarf succulent plants native to southern Africa, with over 100 accepted species. Related to Lithops, it forms tiny bodies (1–5 cm) composed of pairs of fused leaves in spherical, conical, or bilobed shapes. Unlike Lithops, many species form dense clusters. They are winter-growing plants that enter summer dormancy, when the dried cover from the previous season protects new leaves.