| | Family guide for fruits and seeds |
Synonyms: Ficoidaceae Juss., nom. inval.; Mesembryanthemaceae Philib., nom. cons.; Sesuviaceae Horan.; Tetragoniaceae Lindl., nom. cons.
Common name: Fig-marigold Family.
Number of genera 128. Number of species 2410.
Angiosperm. Magnoliopsida.
Disseminule a dehisced fruit, or an intact or entire fruit, or a seed.
Fruits
Pistil(s) compound; 1; 1-pistillate; with carpels united. Fruit anthocarp, or pericarpium; simple; capsule, or drupe, or berry (Carpobrotus & berry & drupe not Spjut); loculicidal capsule, or pyxidium capsule, or septicidal capsule (not Spjut); capsule not inflated; capsule without operculum; berry indehiscent; berry without central placental mass; simple; diclesium; without persistent central column; within accessory organ(s), or not within accessory organ(s); within calyx, or hypanthium, or perianth; many-seeded; (1–)2–5-carpellate (or more); with carpels united; with carpels remaining united at maturity; without sterile carpels; apex not beaked; wall fleshy; dehiscent, or indehiscent. Dehiscent unit seed(s). Dehiscent regularly; at apex; and shedding seeds; without replum. Epicarp durable; without armature, or with armature (occasionally Tetragonia spp.); without wing(s), or with wing(s) (Tetragonia); without apical respiratory hole. Mesocarp present, or absent; fleshy; composed of 1 unified layer; without lactiform cavity system. Endocarp present, or absent; not separating from exocarp; thin; not splitting into 1-seeded pyrenes; without operculum; without secretory cavities; without longitudinal ridges. Funiculus short; short without seed bearing hooks (retinacula); not persisting in fruit after seed shed.
Seeds
Aril present, or absent; a true aril; white; Mollugo oppositifolia, Sesuvium, Trianthema well developed, or vestigal (Mollugo nudicaulis, Gisekia, Orygia); adnate to hilum; fleshy; of funicular origin; basal, or encompassing (Mollugo oppositifolia, Sesuvium, Trianthema); does not aid in seed explusion from fruit; fleshy. Seed larger than minute, or minute; less than 1 mm long, or 1 to less than 5 mm long; 0.35–1.5 mm long; reniform, or circular; in transection compressed; not bowl shaped; not nutlike; without winglike beak; without caudate appendage(s); at maturity with food reserves, or without apparent food reserves; with perisperm, or endosperm (rarely); without canavanine. Sarcotesta absent. Testa present; without fleshy or leathery layer over hard layer; dull, or shiny; surface unsmooth, or smooth; surface with discreet raised features, or merged raised features, or depressed features; surface punctate; surface tuberculate, or granular; surface ridged, or colliculate; without crease or line separating cotyledons from hypocotyl-radicle; with notch along margin where cotyledons from hypocotyl-radicle tip approaching each other; without glands; without bristles; without wings; without collar; without operculum; colored; monochrome; not becoming mucilaginous when wetted; surrounding food reserve. Endosperm development nuclear; scant; without fatty acid containing cyclopropene; without apical lobes; without chlorophyll; without isodiametric faceted surface; without odor.
Perisperm copious, or moderate; hard, or soft; with starch; with starch composed of clustered grains; with reserves composed of sometimes oil, or protein; semi- transparent, or opaque (whitish). Embryo differentiated from food reserve; well developed; 1 per seed; partially filling testa (with food reserve); 1–2 times the length of food reserve; at one end of seed not extending into a depression or cup; peripheral; C-shaped, or bent, or flatly coiled (circinate), or arcuate; without coleorhiza; without simmondsin; without stomata; not green; with 2 or more cotyledons. Cotyledons 2; 0.4–5 times length of embryo; as wide as hypocotyl-radicle, or somewhat to significantly wider than hypocotyl-radicle; flat; smooth; equal in size; not punctate dotted. Hypocotyl-radicle well developed; curved; not thickened.
Distribution
Old World. Africa (South Africa; primary center of diversity), Asia Minor.
Notes
Does Spjut's diclesium cover the nut or drupe of Goldberg? We do not think so. We also scored drupe.
Weed information
No USA noxious weeds.
Listed seeds
ASOA listed seeds, ISTA listed seeds.
ASOA listed seeds: -- Dorotheanthus bellidiformis (Burm. f.) N. E. Br. -- Sesuvium sessile Pers. -- Tetragonia expansa Murray, nom. illeg. = Tetragonia tetragonoides (Pall.) Kuntze -- Tetragonia tetragonoides (Pall.) Kuntze -- Trianthema portulacastrum L. -- Last updated September 2008.
ISTA listed seeds: -- Dorotheanthus bellidiformis (Burm. f.) N. E. Br.f -- Mesembryanthemum criniflorum L. f. = Dorotheanthus bellidiformis (Burm. f.) N. E. Br. -- Tetragonia expansa Murray = Tetragonia tetragonoides (Pall.) Kuntze -- Tetragonia tetragonoides (Pall.) Kuntzea -- Trianthema decandra L. -- Trianthema portulacastrum L.w -- Zaleya decandra (L.) Burm. f. = Trianthema decandra L.w -- Symbols: aagricultural and vegetable seeds (Table 2A Part 1); ttree and shrub species (Table 2A Part 2); fflower, spice, herb, and medicinal seeds (Table 2A Part 3); wweed seeds. -- Last updated September 2008.
Accepted genera
Acrodon N. E. Br. -- Acrosanthes Eckl. & Zeyh. -- Aethephyllum N. E. Br. -- Aizoanthemum Dinter ex Friedrich -- Aizoon L. -- Aloinopsis Schwantes -- Amphibolia L. Bolus ex Toelken & Jessop -- Antegibbaeum Schwantes ex C. Weber -- Antimima N. E. Br. -- Apatesia N. E. Br. -- Aptenia N. E. Br. -- Arenifera A. G. J. Herre -- Argyroderma N. E. Br. -- Aspazoma N. E. Br. -- Astridia Dinter -- Bergeranthus Schwantes -- Berrisfordia L. Bolus -- Bijlia N. E. Br. -- Braunsia Schwantes -- Brownanthus Schwantes -- Carpanthea N. E. Br. -- Carpobrotus N. E. Br. -- Carruanthus (Schwantes) Schwantes -- Caryotophora Leistner -- Cephalophyllum N. E. Br. -- Cerochlamys N. E. Br. -- Chasmatophyllum Dinter & Schwantes -- Cheiridopsis N. E. Br. -- Circandra N. E. Br. -- Cleretum N. E. Br. -- Conicosia N. E. Br. -- Conophytum N. E. Br. -- Corpuscularia Schwantes -- Cylindrophyllum Schwantes -- Cypselea Turpin -- Dactylopsis N. E. Br. -- Delosperma N. E. Br. -- Dicrocaulon N. E. Br. -- Didymaotus N. E. Br. -- Dinteranthus Schwantes -- Diplosoma Schwantes -- Disphyma N. E. Br. -- Dorotheanthus Schwantes -- Dracophilus (Schwantes) Dinter & Schwantes -- Drosanthemopsis Rauschert -- Drosanthemum Schwantes -- Eberlanzia Schwantes -- Ebracteola Dinter & Schwantes -- Enarganthe N. E. Br. -- Erepsia N. E. Br. -- Esterhuysenia L. Bolus -- Faucaria Schwantes -- Fenestraria N. E. Br. -- Frithia N. E. Br. -- Galenia L. -- Gibbaeum Haw. ex N. E. Br. -- Glottiphyllum Haw. ex N. E. Br. -- Gunniopsis Pax -- Hallianthus H. E. K. Hartmann -- Hereroa (Schwantes) Dinter & Schwantes -- Herreanthus Schwantes -- Hymenogyne Haw. -- Ihlenfeldtia H. E. K. Hartmann -- Imitaria N. E. Br. -- Jacobsenia L. Bolus & Schwantes -- Jensenobotrya A. G. J. Herre -- Jordaaniella H. E. K. Hartmann -- Juttadinteria Schwantes -- Khadia N. E. Br. -- Lampranthus N. E. Br., nom. cons. -- Lapidaria (Dinter & Schwantes) Schwantes ex N. E. Br. -- Leipoldtia L. Bolus -- Lithops N. E. Br. -- Machairophyllum Schwantes -- Malephora N. E. Br. -- Mesembryanthemum L., nom. cons. -- Mestoklema N. E. Br. ex Glen -- Meyerophytum Schwantes -- Mitrophyllum Schwantes -- Monilaria (Schwantes) Schwantes -- Mossia N. E. Br. -- Muiria N. E. Br. -- Namaquanthus L. Bolus -- Namibia (Schwantes) Schwantes -- Nananthus N. E. Br. -- Nelia Schwantes -- Neohenricia L. Bolus -- Octopoma N. E. Br. -- Odontophorus N. E. Br. -- Oophytum N. E. Br. -- Ophthalmophyllum Dinter & Schwantes -- Orthopterum L. Bolus -- Oscularia Schwantes -- Ottosonderia L. Bolus -- Phyllobolus N. E. Br. -- Pleiospilos N. E. Br. -- Plinthus Fenzl -- Polymita N. E. Br. -- Psammophora Dinter & Schwantes -- Pseudobrownanthus Ihlenf. & Bittrich -- Psilocaulon N. E. Br. -- Rabiea N. E. Br. -- Rhinephyllum N. E. Br. -- Rhombophyllum (Schwantes) Schwantes -- Ruschia Schwantes -- Ruschianthemum Friedrich -- Ruschianthus L. Bolus -- Saphesia N. E. Br. -- Schlechteranthus Schwantes -- Schwantesia Dinter -- Scopelogena L. Bolus -- Sesuvium L. -- Skiatophytum L. Bolus -- Smicrostigma N. E. Br. -- Stayneria L. Bolus -- Stoeberia Dinter & Schwantes -- Stomatium Schwantes -- Synaptophyllum N. E. Br. -- Tanquana H. E. K. Hartmann & Liede -- Tetragonia L. -- Titanopsis Schwantes -- Trianthema L. -- Tribulocarpus S. Moore -- Trichodiadema Schwantes -- Vanheerdea L. Bolus -- Vanzijlia L. Bolus -- Wooleya L. Bolus -- Zaleya Burm. f. -- Zeuktophyllum N. E. Br.
References specific to this family
Cronquist page 254. Hartman, H.E.K. 1988. Fruit types in the Mesembryanthema. Beitr. Biol. Pflanzen 63:313–349; Herre, H. 1971. The genera of the Mesembryanthemaceae. Tafekberg-Uitgewers Beperk, Cape Town, S. Afr.; Bogle, A.L. 1970. The genera of Molluginaceae and Aizoaceae in southeastern United States. J. Arnold Arbor. 51:431–462; Jump, J.A. 1981. The seed as a criterion in Lithops classification. Cact. Succ. J. (Los Angeles) 53:197–200.
General references
Corner, E.J.H. 1976. The seeds of Dicots, esp. vol. 2. Cambridge University Press, New York, Cronquist, A. 1981. An integrated system of classification of flowering plants, 1,262 p. Columbia University Press, New York, Goldberg, A. 1986 (dicots) and 1989 (monocots). Classification, evolution, and phylogeny of the familes of Dicotyledons. Smithsonian Contr. Bot. 58 for dicots (314 pp.) and 71 for monocots (74 pp.). [Goldberg's illustrations are reproduced from older publications and these should be consulted], Gunn, C.R. and C.A. Ritchie. 1988. Identification of disseminules listed in the Federal Noxious Weed Act. Techn. Bull. U.S.D.A. 1719:1–313, Gunn, C.R., J.H. Wiersema, C.A. Ritchie, and J.H. Kirkbride, Jr. 1992 and amendments. Families and genera of Spermatophytes recognized by the Agricultural Research Service. Techn. Bull. U.S.D.A. 1796:1–500, Mabberley, D.J. 1987. The plant-book, 706 p. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, Martin, A.C. 1946. The comparative internal morphology of seeds. Amer. Midl. Naturalist 36:513–660, Spjut, R.W. 1994. A systematic treatment of fruit types. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 70:1–182.
Illustrations
Poor fruit and seed illustrations based on number of genera. Disseminule illustration(s): fruit, or seed, or embryo. Fruit illustration(s): LeMaout & Decaisne, NoxWeed. Seed illustration(s): Bogle (1970), LeMaout & Decaisne, Jump (1931), Gunn & Ritchie, Flora Australia Vol. 4. Embryo illustration(s): Bogle (1970), LeMaout & Decaisne, Gunn & Ritchie, Flora Australia Vol. 4, Martin.
• Fruit. 1 of 17. Argyroderma testiculare (Sol. ex Aiton) N. E. Br.: dehisced fruit in head. • Seed. 2 of 17. Argyroderma testiculare (Sol. ex Aiton) N. E. Br.: seeds. • Seed. 3 of 17. Braunsia geminata (Haw.) L. Bolus: seeds. • Fruit. 4 of 17. Cylindrophyllum calamiforme (L.) Schwantes: dehisced fruit with calyx. • Seed. 5 of 17. Cylindrophyllum calamiforme (L.) Schwantes: seeds. • Seed. 6 of 17. Dinteranthus microspermus (Dinter & Derenberg) Schwantes: seeds. • Seed. 7 of 17. Hymenogyne glabra (Aiton) Haw.: seed. • Seed. 8 of 17. Ruschia misera (L. Bolus) L. Bolus: seeds. • Fruit. 9 of 17. Sesuvium portulacastrum (L.) L.: fruit. • Seed. 10 of 17. Sesuvium portulacastrum (L.) L.: seeds. • Fruit. 11 of 17. Tetragonia arbuscula Fenzl: fruit. • Fruit. 12 of 17. Trianthema triquetra Willd.: fruit. • Seed. 13 of 17. Trianthema triquetra Willd.: seeds. • Fruit. 14 of 17. Zaleya galericulata (Melville) H. Eichler: fruits. • Fruit. 15 of 17. Zaleya galericulata (Melville) H. Eichler: fruit. • Seed. 16 of 17. Zaleya galericulata (Melville) H. Eichler: seeds. • Embryo. 17 of 17. Zaleya petandra (L.) Jeffrey: embryo.
We advise against extracting comparative information from the descriptions. This is much more easily achieved using the DELTA data files or the interactive key, which allows access to the character list, illustrations, full and partial descriptions, diagnostic descriptions, differences and similarities between taxa, lists of taxa exhibiting or lacking specified attributes, and distributions of character states within any set of taxa. See also Guidelines for using data taken from Web publications.
Cite this publication as: ‘J.H. Kirkbride, Jr., C.R. Gunn, and M.J. Dallwitz. 2000 onwards. Family guide for fruits and seeds: descriptions, illustrations, identification, and information retrieval. Version: 12th April 2021. delta-intkey.com’.
