Biology:Mesembryanthemum

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Short description: Genus of plants

Mesembryanthemum
Mesambryanthemum nodiflorum.jpg
Mesembryanthemum nodiflorum
Scientific classification e
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Order: Caryophyllales
Family: Aizoaceae
Subfamily: Mesembryanthemoideae
Genus: Mesembryanthemum
L.
Species

See text for accepted species

Synonyms[1]
  • Halenbergia N.E.Br.
  • N.E.Br. Dinter ex H.Jacobsen
  • Hydrodea N.E.Br.
  • Litocarpus Aspazoma
  • L.Bolus, nom. superfl. Manettia
  • Adans., nom. rej. Mesembryanthes
  • N.E.Br. Stokes
  • Mesembryanthus Raf.
  • Mesembryum Brownanthus
  • Adans. Neo-aridaria
  • A.G.J.Herre, no Latin descr. Aptenia
  • Schwantes Neck. ex Rothm.
  • Nycterianthemum Haw.
  • Opophytum Callistigma
  • N.E.Br. Pentacoilanthus
  • Rappa & Camarrone Perapentacoilanthus
  • Dinter & Schwantes Rappa & Camarrone
  • Phyllobolus N.E.Br.
  • Platythyra Caulipsolon
  • N.E.Br. Prenia
  • N.E.Br. Amoebophyllum
  • N.E.Br. Klak
  • Ihlenf. & Bittrich Psilocaulon
  • N.E.Br. Cryophytum
  • N.E.Br. Sphalmanthus
  • N.E.Br. N.E.Br.
  • N.E.Br. Tetracoilanthus
  • Rappa & Camarrone, nom. superfl. Dactylopsis
  • N.E.Br. Volkeranthus
  • Arenifera N.E.Br.
  • Derenbergiella Schwantes
  • Eurystigma Herre
  • L.Bolus Ficoides
  • Mill. Gasoul
  • Aridaria Adans., nom. superfl.
  • Gerbaulet Gynicidia
  • Trichocyclus Synaptophyllum
  • Sceletium Neck., opus utique oppr.
  • Pseudobrownanthus Nycteranthus

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.[citation needed] 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.[citation needed]

Many Mesembryanthemum species are known as ice plants because of the glistening globular bladder cells covering their stems, fruit and leaves,[2] "... they sparkle like ice crystals".[3] In South Africa , Mesembryanthemums are known as "vygies" (from Afrikaans "vy"), although that term refers to many plants in the family Aizoaceae.

Species formerly placed in Mesembryanthemum have been transferred to other genera, such as Cleretum and Carpobrotus, although sources differ.

Etymology

Jacob Breyne coined the name of the flower in 1684, using the spelling Mesembrianthemum ("midday flower"[4]), from the Greek roots μεσημβρία, meaning "noon", and ἄνθεμον, meaning "flower", because the species known in his time flowered at midday. In 1719, with the discovery that some species flowered at night, Johann Jacob Dillenius changed the spelling to Mesembryanthemum ("flower with the pistil in the center"[4]), rederiving the first part of the word from Greek μεσος ("middle") and ἔμβρυον ("pistil" or "embryo"). Carl Linnaeus used the Dillenius spelling (with the "y") in his description of the Mesembryanthemum species and the International Code of Botanical Nomenclature requires the retention of the original, deliberate spelling.[4][5]

Uses

Mesembryanthemums are often cultivated as ornamental plants for their showy flowers. Ornamental plants may escape into the wild and consequently have become widely naturalized outside their native range. They are considered an invasive weed in certain places.[citation needed]

Culture and society

Some Mesembryanthemum species are thought to be hallucinogenic plants, like related Aizoaceae,[6] and as such may be subject to legal restrictions (e.g., Louisiana State Act 159).

Species

(As of March 2019), Plants of the World Online accepted the following 108 species:[1]

  • Mesembryanthemum aitonis Jacq.
  • Mesembryanthemum alatum (L.Bolus) L.Bolus
  • Mesembryanthemum amabile (Gerbaulet & Struck) Klak
  • Mesembryanthemum amplectens L.Bolus
  • Mesembryanthemum archeri (L.Bolus) Klak
  • Mesembryanthemum arenarium (N.E.Br.) L.Bolus
  • Mesembryanthemum articulatum Thunb.
  • Mesembryanthemum barklyi N.E.Br.
  • Mesembryanthemum baylissii (L.Bolus) Klak
  • Mesembryanthemum bicorne Sond.
  • Mesembryanthemum brevicarpum (L.Bolus) Klak
  • Mesembryanthemum bulletrapense Klak
  • Mesembryanthemum canaliculatum Haw.
  • Mesembryanthemum caudatum L.Bolus
  • Mesembryanthemum chrysophthalmum (Gerbaulet & Struck) Klak
  • Mesembryanthemum clandestinum Haw.
  • Mesembryanthemum corallinum Thunb.
  • Mesembryanthemum cordifolium L.f.
  • Mesembryanthemum coriarium Burch.
  • Mesembryanthemum crassicaule Haw.
  • Mesembryanthemum cryptanthum Hook.f.
  • Mesembryanthemum crystallinum L.
  • Mesembryanthemum deciduum (L.Bolus) Klak
  • Mesembryanthemum decurvatum (L.Bolus) Klak
  • Mesembryanthemum delum L.Bolus
  • Mesembryanthemum digitatum Aiton
  • Mesembryanthemum dimorphum Welw. ex Oliv.
  • Mesembryanthemum dinteri Engl.
  • Mesembryanthemum emarcidum Thunb.
  • Mesembryanthemum englishiae L.Bolus
  • Mesembryanthemum eurystigmatum Gerbaulet
  • Mesembryanthemum exalatum (Gerbaulet) Klak
  • Mesembryanthemum excavatum L.Bolus
  • Mesembryanthemum expansum L.
  • Mesembryanthemum fastigiatum Thunb.
  • Mesembryanthemum flavidum Klak
  • Mesembryanthemum gariepense (Gerbaulet & Struck) Klak
  • Mesembryanthemum gariusanum Dinter
  • Mesembryanthemum geniculiflorum L.
  • Mesembryanthemum gessertianum Dinter & A.Berger
  • Mesembryanthemum glareicola (Klak) Klak
  • Mesembryanthemum granulicaule Haw.
  • Mesembryanthemum grossum Aiton
  • Mesembryanthemum guerichianum Pax
  • Mesembryanthemum haeckelianum A.Berger
  • Mesembryanthemum holense Klak
  • Mesembryanthemum hypertrophicum Dinter
  • Mesembryanthemum inachabense Engl.
  • Mesembryanthemum junceum Haw.
  • Mesembryanthemum juttae Dinter & A.Berger
  • Mesembryanthemum knolfonteinense Klak
  • Mesembryanthemum kuntzei Schinz
  • Mesembryanthemum ladismithiense Klak
  • Mesembryanthemum lancifolium (L.Bolus) Klak
  • Mesembryanthemum latipetalum (L.Bolus) Klak
  • Mesembryanthemum leptarthron A.Berger
  • Mesembryanthemum lignescens (L.Bolus) Klak
  • Mesembryanthemum ligneum (L.Bolus) Klak
  • Mesembryanthemum lilliputanum Klak
  • Mesembryanthemum longipapillosum Dinter
  • Mesembryanthemum longistylum DC.
  • Mesembryanthemum marlothii Pax
  • Mesembryanthemum namibense Marloth
  • Mesembryanthemum napierense Klak
  • Mesembryanthemum neglectum (S.M.Pierce & Gerbaulet) Klak
  • Mesembryanthemum neofoliosum Klak
  • Mesembryanthemum nitidum Haw.
  • Mesembryanthemum noctiflorum L.
  • Mesembryanthemum nodiflorum L.
  • Mesembryanthemum nucifer (Ihlenf. & Bittrich) Klak
  • Mesembryanthemum occidentale Klak
  • Mesembryanthemum oculatum N.E.Br.
  • Mesembryanthemum oubergense (L.Bolus) Klak
  • Mesembryanthemum pallens Aiton
  • Mesembryanthemum parviflorum Jacq.
  • Mesembryanthemum paulum (N.E.Br.) L.Bolus
  • Mesembryanthemum pellitum Friedrich
  • Mesembryanthemum prasinum (L.Bolus) Klak
  • Mesembryanthemum pseudoschlichtianum (S.M.Pierce & Gerbaulet) Klak
  • Mesembryanthemum quartziticola Klak
  • Mesembryanthemum rabiei (L.Bolus) Klak
  • Mesembryanthemum rapaceum Jacq.
  • Mesembryanthemum resurgens Kensit
  • Mesembryanthemum rhizophorum Klak
  • Mesembryanthemum salicornioides Pax
  • Mesembryanthemum schenckii Schinz
  • Mesembryanthemum schlichtianum Sond.
  • Mesembryanthemum serotinum (L.Bolus) Klak
  • Mesembryanthemum sinuosum L.Bolus
  • Mesembryanthemum sladenianum L.Bolus
  • Mesembryanthemum spinuliferum Haw.
  • Mesembryanthemum splendens L.
  • Mesembryanthemum springbokense Klak
  • Mesembryanthemum stenandrum (L.Bolus) L.Bolus
  • Mesembryanthemum subnodosum A.Berger
  • Mesembryanthemum subtruncatum L.Bolus
  • Mesembryanthemum suffruticosum (L.Bolus) Klak
  • Mesembryanthemum tenuiflorum Jacq.
  • Mesembryanthemum tetragonum Thunb.
  • Mesembryanthemum theurkauffii (Maire) Maire
  • Mesembryanthemum tomentosum Klak
  • Mesembryanthemum tortuosum L.
  • Mesembryanthemum trichotomum Thunb.
  • Mesembryanthemum vaginatum Lam.
  • Mesembryanthemum vanheerdei (L.Bolus) Klak
  • Mesembryanthemum vanrensburgii (L.Bolus) Klak
  • Mesembryanthemum varians Haw.
  • Mesembryanthemum viridiflorum Aiton


Gallery

Legal status

United States

Louisiana

Except for ornamental purposes, growing, selling or possessing any species of Mesembryanthemum is prohibited by Louisiana State Act 159.

See also

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 "Mesembryanthemum L.". Plants of the World Online. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:331766-2. 
  2. "Browsing: Aizoaceae". World of Succulents. http://worldofsucculents.com/?families=aizoaceae. 
  3. Smith, Curtis. "Ice plant". Southwest Yard & Garden. New Mexico State University. http://aces.nmsu.edu/ces/yard/2005/040905.html. 
  4. 4.0 4.1 4.2 Jacobsen, Hermann (1978). A Handbook of Succulent Plants: Descriptions, Synonyms and Cultural Details for Succulents Other Than Cactaceae. III. Mesembryanthemums (Ficoidacea). Poole, Surrey: Blandford Press Ltd.. p. 1257. 
  5. Oxford English Dictionary Online, s.v. "Mesembryanthemum, n." (accessed June 24, 2008).
  6. Watt, John Mitchell; Breyer-Brandwijk, Maria Gerdina: The Medicinal and Poisonous Plants of Southern and Eastern Africa 2nd ed Pub. E & S Livingstone 1962

Further reading

Wikidata ☰ Q1922381 entry