Jepson eFlora: Taxon page
Vascular Plants of California
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Higher Taxonomy
Family: AizoaceaeView DescriptionDichotomous Key

Habit: Annual, perennial herb, shrub, generally fleshy. Stem: underground to erect; root fibrous or tuberous. Leaf: generally simple, entire, flat, cylindric, 3-angled, or scale-like, generally cauline, generally opposite; stipules generally 0; blade papillate, pubescent, or generally glabrous, often glaucous. Inflorescence: cyme or 1-flowered, generally terminal. Flower: generally bisexual, radial; hypanthium present; sepals (3)5(8), often unequal; petals 0 or many in several whorls, free or fused at base, linear; stamens 1--many, free or fused in groups, outer often petal-like; nectary a ring or separate glands; pistil 1, ovary superior to inferior, chambers 1--20, placentas generally parietal, styles 0--20. Fruit: berry, nut, or generally capsule, opening by flaps or circumscissile. Seed: 1--many per chamber, generally ovoid, arilled or not.
Genera In Family: 130 genera, 2500 species: generally subtropics, especially southern Africa; many cultivated. Note: Galenia pubescens (Eckl. & Zeyh.) Druce, a waif, may be naturalizing in southern California.
Unabridged Note: Disphyma crassifolium (L.) L. Bolus (ovary glands convex, minute-crenate; stigmas dense-plumose; fruit chambers 5; seeds ovate, +- smooth), of tribe Ruschieae, an historical waif in California; Lampranthus coccineus (Haw.) N.E. Br.: (ovary glands fused; fruit chambers 5; seeds pear-shaped, +- black, rough), of Ruschieae, an historical waif or urban weed in California.
eFlora Treatment Author: Nancy J. Vivrette, John Bleck & Wayne R. Ferren, Jr., family description, key to genera
Scientific Editor: Bruce G. Baldwin, Thomas J. Rosatti.
Habit: Perennial herb, subshrub. Stem: prostrate or climbing, base woody; green, papillate. Leaf: opposite, near inflorescence alternate; petioled; blade flat, lanceolate or cordate, generally glabrous, often glaucous. Inflorescence: flowers 1 [or whorled], axillary [terminal], peduncled [not]. Flower: +- 1 cm diam; hypanthium obconic; sepals 4, 2 larger, leaf-like, 2 smaller, awl-shaped; petals fused at base; stamens many, outer sterile, petal-like, inner incurved, white or yellow; ovary inferior, chambers 4, placentas axile, style 0, stigmas 4. Fruit: capsule; valves 4, lids 0, wings 0. Seed: flat, tubercled, black-brown.
Species In Genus: 4 species: southern Africa. Etymology: (Greek: wingless, for fruit)
Unabridged Note: Klak, et al. (2007 Taxon 56:737--756) concluded that Aptenia should be in synonymy under Mesembryanthemum. Aptenia lancifolia J. Bolus (leaves ovate-cordate; petals pink) spreading, quite extensive from old planting at Point Reyes lighthouse.
Jepson eFlora Author: Nancy J. Vivrette
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Citation for this treatment: Nancy J. Vivrette 2012, Aptenia, in Jepson Flora Project (eds.) Jepson eFlora,, accessed on May 27, 2019.

Citation for the whole project: Jepson Flora Project (eds.) 2019, Jepson eFlora,, accessed on May 27, 2019.