In article <199710201552.IAA11487 at net.bio.net>,
Donna I. Ford-Werntz <diford at WVNVM.WVNET.EDU> wrote:
>Please let me know if you have an answer to either (or both) below. Thanks!
>2. What is/has become of the type genus for the family Aizoaceae--I have
>not found any reference to synonomy/conservation relating to the name
>'Aizoa.'
>>Donna I. Ford-Werntz West Virginia Univ.
>Herbarium Curator (WVA) Box 6057
>Asst. Prof. Biol. Morgantown, WV 26506
>425 Brooks Hall (304)293-5201 X2549
>email: diford at wvu.edu fax: (304)293-6363
>Web site at http://www.as.wvu.edu/biology/>
Hi Donna!!
The type genus for the Aizoaceae is the genus Aizoon L. (a Linnaean
genus).
Members of the genus Aizoon are scandent to shrubby annual or perennial
herbs, having diminutive bisexual flowers; fruits are capsules. Center of
diversity is (like most of the family) in Southern Africa
The controversy in this group nis not within the genus Aizoon but
rather with the much larger group termed 'mesembs' by collectors. Previous
treatments have recognized the family Mesembryanthemaceae as distinct from
Aizoaceae, but a relatively recent paper by Bittrich and Hartmann reunited
the Mesembryanthemaceae within the Aizoaceae as a subfamily. The Subfamily
Mesembryanthemoideae has within it the marvelous, highly reduced leaf
succulents known as the "pebble plants" - Lithops, Pleiospilos, Conophytum,
etc. as well as Faucaria (Tiger Jaws), Fenestraria (baby toes) and other
highly xeromorphic leaf succulents.
HTH,
Rob Wallace
(Oh, and BTW, Wendy Applequist has several of your Montiopsis growing well
in our GH now, and some have good DNA samples - now adding them to our
Portulacaceae study.....The Didiereaceae are "done" and a paper is in the
--
Robert S. Wallace
Associate Professor of Botany "In cerevisia veritas est."
Dept. of Botany - Iowa State Univ.
Ames, Iowa 50011-1020 rwallace at iastate.edu FAX: 515-294-1337
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