The plants are mostly succulent, many almost cactus-like, herbs or small shrubs. Many characteristics are adaptions to a hot and dry climate. C3 or C4 metabolism. Some species have very conspicious blossoms which are opened only when the sun shines or at a special time of the day. Other species make use of a mimicry by imitating the surface or colour of the substrate they grow on.
Distribution
Tropical and subtropical -often dry- regions, in South America, South Africa, Australia, south-west regions of North America; adapted to long periods without water and high temperatures
Floral characters
Inflorescence solitary or in thyrses; blossom radial, bisexual; C (3) 5 (8) K 0-endless A 1-10 (endless) G2; petals origin in stamina; ovary superior or inferior with 2 to many cells
Leaf characters
Usually opposite or whorled, rarely alternate; mostly simple and entire; often reduced to a pair of minute scales which grow in a spherical form to reduce the surface-to-volume ratio
Stipules
present or absent
Fruit characters
Most species have loculicidal, septicidal or circumscissile capsules, some species with berries or nuts
Glands
present
Hairs
absent or rarely present
Latex
absent
Uses
Tetragonia is used as a vegetable
Chemical characters
Often accumulation of organic acids (also oxalic acid), often alcaloids like mesembrine
Distribution maps
(online von http://www.mobot.org/MOBOT/research/APweb/ . Dort zitiert wie unter jedem Diagramm vermerkt):
Unterfamilie Ruschioideae (Aizoaceae)
map: Pascale Chesselet, pers. comm. 2004
Unterfamilie Aizooideae (Aizoaceae)
map: see George 1984; Hartmann 2001a, b
Unterfamilie Mesembryanthemoideae (Aizoaceae)
map: see George 1984; Pascale Chesselet, pers. comm. 2004
Unterfamilie Sesuvioideae (Aizoaceae)
map: see George 1984; Hartmann 2001a, b; Hartmann et al. 2011; Fl. N. Am. 4: 2003
