|
Subfamily: Mesembryanthemoideae (mesems in
part)
Life
> eukaryotes >
Archaeoplastida >
Chloroplastida
>
Charophyta > Streptophytina > Plantae (land plants)
> Tracheophyta (vascular plants) > Euphyllophyta > Lignophyta (woody plants)
> Spermatophyta (seed plants) > Angiospermae (flowering
plants)
> Eudicotyledons > Core Eudicots > Order: Caryophyllales > Family: Aizoaceae
The subfamilies Mesembryanthemoideae and Ruschioideae
make up the group of succulents loosely termed the mesems that in some
classifications are placed in a separate family, the Mesembryanthemaceae. In
this classification they are placed in the Aizoaceae because evidence suggests
that mesems were derived from within this group (see under Aizoaceae
for more information).
Genera in southern Africa
List from from Chesselet et al. (2000).
|
Aptenia
The four
species are found in the summer rainfall region of southern Africa. Grown
widely as an ornamental. |
|
|
Aridaria
Four
species, found in karroid areas of Namibia and Western, Eastern and
Northern Cape. |
|
|
Aspazoma
One species:
Aspazoma amplectens, found in Namaqualand. |
|
|
Brownanthus
The 10
species are endemic to southern Africa. |
|
|
Caulipsolon
One
species: Caulipsolon rapaceum, found in Namaqualand. |
|
|
Dactylopsis
Two
species, endemic to the Western Cape. |
|
|
Mesembryanthemum
The
16 species are found in the arid western and central regions of southern
Africa, extending into Namibia. Species in North Africa, the Mediterranean
region, California, on the west coast of South America and in Australia,
are thought to have been introduced to these regions. |
|
|
Phyllobolus
The 31
species are found in southern Namibia and the western and central parts of
southern Africa. |
|
|
Prenia
The 6 species
are found in the karroid areas of Namibia and Western, Eastern and
Northern Cape. |
|
|
Psilocaulon
The 13 species
are found in the arid regions of South Africa, Namibia and southern
Angola. |
|
|
Sceletium
The 8
species are found in karroid areas of Northern, Western and Eastern
Cape. |
|
|
Synaptophyllum
One
species: Synaptophyllum juttae, found in the fog zone near Luderitz
in Namibia |
|
Publications
-
Chesselet, P., Smith, G.F., Burgoyne, P.M.,
Klak, C., Hammer, S.A., Hartmann, H.E.K., Kurzweil, H., van Jaarsveld, E.J.,
van Wyk, B-E. & Leistner, O.A. 2000. Mesembryanthemaceae. In: Seed Plants of
Southern Africa (ed. O.A. Leistner). Strelitzia 10: 360-410.
National Botanical Institute, Pretoria.
|
