Mesembryanthemum

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. 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.

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

See text for accepted species

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

Many Mesembryanthemum species are known as ice plants because of the glistening globular bladder cells covering their stems, fruit and leaves, "... they sparkle like ice crystals". 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.

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