Common Name: FIG-MARIGOLD or ICEPLANT FAMILY
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.

Common Name: ICEPLANT
Habit: Annual, biennial, glabrous. Stem: prostrate to ascending, cylindric, angled or winged, papillate. Leaf: alternate or opposite, petioled or not, cylindric or flat, +- red in age or stress, papillae prominent to flat, inconspicuous; bases of pair fused. Inflorescence: 1-flowered or cyme. Flower: sepals, petals free or fused at base; sepals (4)5, 2 often leaf-like; petals white; stamens many; nectar gland +- grooved; ovary 1/2-inferior, chambers (4)5(20), styles (4)5(20). Fruit: capsule, valves 5, dehiscing when moist. Seed: many, round, compressed, often D-shaped, minutely tubercled, light or dark red-brown.
Etymology: (Greek: midday-blooming)
eFlora Treatment Author: Nancy J. Vivrette
Unabridged Reference: McVaugh 1974 Taxon 23:820--821