The green links below add additional plants to the comparison table. Blue links lead to other Web sites.
enable glossary links

iceplant

common ice plant, crystalline ice plant

Habit Herbs, annual or perennial, usually short-lived, succulent, usually conspicuously papillate, glabrous. Plants annual to biennial.
Roots

fibrous.

Stems

prostrate to ascending.

trailing, dichotomously branched, to 1 m.

Leaves

basal and cauline, alternate or opposite, sessile or petiolate;

stipules absent;

blade reddish with age, flat or terete, margins often undulate.

sessile or petiolate;

petiole, ± clasping;

blade ovate to spatulate, flat, 2–20 cm, margins undulate.

Inflorescences

terminal or axillary, flowers solitary or in cymes;

bracts absent or 1–2, sessile or pedicellate.

terminal or axillary, cymes;

proximal bracts opposite, leaflike;

distal bracts alternate, reduced; flowering profusely.

Flowers

showy, 4–10[–20] mm diam., tubular;

calyx lobes (4–) 5, 2 often leaflike;

petals (including petaloid staminodia) 20–40[–150], distinct or connate into short tube, free, white, pink, or yellowish, linear;

nectary glands 5;

stamens 30[–120];

pistil (4–)5-carpellate;

ovary half-inferior, (4–)5-loculed, convex;

placentation axile;

stigmas (4–)5, erect, filiform.

7–10 mm diam.;

hypanthium aging red, round;

calyx lobes 5, unequal;

petals 20–40, connate into tube, white, aging pink;

stamens 30.

Fruits

capsules, persistent, valves (4–)5, with expanding interior keels when moistened, forming capsule lids when dried, dehiscence loculicidal.

Capsules

coarsely papillate.

Seeds

100–200, black or dark [light] reddish brown [ochre or whitish], compressed [globose], often with 1 straight edge, 1 mm, smooth to rough with minute tubercles;

arils absent.

200, rough with minute tubercles.

2n

= 18.

Mesembryanthemum

Mesembryanthemum crystallinum

Phenology Flowering year-round, mostly spring–fall.
Habitat Coastal bluffs, cliffs, ballast dumps, disturbed ground
Elevation 0-100 m [0-300 ft]
Distribution
map from USDA
s Africa; w Africa [Introduced in North America; also introduced in Mexico, South America, Europe (Mediterranean), Asia, Atlantic Islands, Australia]
[BONAP county map]
map from FNA
AZ; CA; PA; South America; Mexico (Baja California); Europe (Mediterranean); Africa; Atlantic Islands; Australia [Introduced in North America]
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Species 74 (2 in the flora).

As described here, Mesembryanthemum is the narrowly delineated genus sensu H. M. L. Bolus (1928–1958, part 3, p. 164, fig. 25).

The ability of Mesembryanthemum crystallinum and M. nodiflorum to accumulate and release salt into the surrounding soil is one mechanism by which these species dominate disturbed areas (N. J. Vivrette and C. H. Muller 1977; N. J. Vivrette 1980).

Etymology: Greek mesembria, midday, and anthemum, blo oming

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)

Introduced from southern and western Africa, Mesembryanthemum crystallinum is in cultivation as an ornamental. Its use to treat scurvy by sailors, its popularity as an ornamental potted plant aboard ships, and its occurrence in ballast dumps (as in Pennsylvania) were some of the means by which this species has become so widespread throughout the world. Gauchos in Argentina used it to treat venereal disease.

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)

Parent taxa Aizoaceae Aizoaceae > Mesembryanthemum
Sibling taxa
M. nodiflorum
Subordinate taxa
M. crystallinum, M. nodiflorum
Key
1. Leaves flat; flowers 7-10 mm diam
M. crystallinum
1. Leaves ±terete; flowers 4-5 mm diam
M. nodiflorum
Synonyms Cryophytum, Gasoul Cryophytum crystallinum, Gasoul crystallinum
Name authority Linnaeus: Sp. Pl. 1: 480. (1753): Gen. Pl. ed. 5, 215. (1754) Linnaeus: Sp. Pl. 1: 480. (1753)
Source FNA vol. 4, p. 84. Treatment author: Nancy J. Vivrette. FNA vol. 4, p. 85. Treatment author: Nancy J. Vivrette.
Web links