Botanical Families

Family of succulent plants with greatest diversity in southern Africa, comprising approximately 135 genera. Includes the so-called "living stones" (Lithops), "window plants" (Fenestraria), and the popular "tiger jaws" (Faucaria). They are distinguished by their highly succulent leaves, often with mimetic forms that imitate stones or pebbles of their surroundings. Flowers are generally large, showy, and open during the day.

Family of succulent plants from the arid regions of southern Africa and Australia, segregated from Portulacaceae. Includes the genera Anacampseros, Avonia, and Grahamia. Small plants with fleshy leaves often covered in silky hairs or papery scales, with short-lived ephemeral flowers.

Large family of flowering plants, also known as Umbelliferae, including carrots, parsley, dill and some species adapted to alpine and arid climates. Some species form cushion plants of succulent appearance adapted to extreme altitude conditions.

Cosmopolitan family with over 5,000 species including herbs, shrubs, trees, and vines. Characterized by milky latex present in most representatives and by flowers with fused petals forming a tube. Includes highly popular ornamental genera worldwide such as Adenium (desert rose) and Plumeria (frangipani), along with medicinal species and caudiciform plants of notable collector interest.

Asparagaceae is a family of monocotyledonous flowering plants comprising over 2,900 species in 114 genera, ranging from herbs to shrubs and trees. It encompasses highly diverse groups such as agaves, yuccas, dracaenas, asparagus, and hyacinths, many of which hold significant economic, ornamental, and cultural importance. The family is characterized by generally linear or lanceolate leaves and flowers with six tepals arranged in racemes or panicles.

Family of succulent monocots distributed mainly in southern Africa, Madagascar, and the Arabian Peninsula. Includes iconic genera such as Aloe, Haworthia, and Gasteria. Plants typically form rosettes of fleshy leaves with entire or spiny margins, producing racemose inflorescences with tubular, nectar-rich flowers pollinated by birds and insects.

Asteraceae, also known as Compositae, is one of the largest and most diverse families of flowering plants. It includes numerous succulent species native to arid and semi-arid regions, especially in Africa and the Canary Islands. Succulent genera within this family — such as Kleinia, Curio, Caputia and Senecio — feature fleshy stems, reduced or glaucous leaves, and characteristic capitulate flowers.

{"en": "Flowering plant family known as the carnation family; includes annual and perennial herbs with opposite leaves and five-petaled flowers; some species show succulent adaptations in arid regions.", "es": "Familia de plantas con flor conocida como la familia del clavel; incluye hierbas anuales y perennes con hojas opuestas y flores de cinco pétalos; algunas especies presentan adaptaciones suculentas en regiones áridas."}

Cosmopolitan family comprising succulent herbaceous and subshrubby plants, distributed across temperate and subtropical regions of both hemispheres. They are characterized by fleshy leaves often arranged in rosettes, with crassulacean acid metabolism (CAM) that enables survival under drought conditions. Flowers typically exhibit radial symmetry with free or slightly fused petals.

Family of spiny succulent plants endemic to Madagascar, especially the spiny forest (thicket) of the island's south. Didiereaceae produce columnar or arboreal stems covered with small leaves and long spines, adapted to the extreme climatic seasonality of Madagascar. They are key elements of the dry spiny forest ecosystem.

Large family of flowering plants including many succulent, shrubby, arboreal and herbaceous species. Characterized by white milky latex and reduced flowers in cyathia. Worldwide distribution; especially diverse in tropical and subtropical regions. Includes important succulent genera such as Euphorbia, Monadenium, Pedilanthus and Chamaesyce.

Family of xerophytic shrubby and arborescent plants endemic to Mexico and southwestern United States; includes the boojum tree and ocotillo.

Family of herbaceous and succulent plants, mostly from the American and Australian hemispheres, characterized by fleshy leaves and showy petals.

Familia de plantas piperáceas que incluye las especies suculentas del género Peperomia, originarias principalmente de Perú y América del Sur

Family of succulent and semi-succulent plants distributed mainly in arid and semi-arid regions of southern Africa, the Americas and Australia. Includes xerophytic succulent shrubs and annual herbs. Now circumscribed to few genera after the separation of Cactaceae, Talinaceae and others; some authors place Ceraria in Talinaceae.

Family of mainly herbaceous and subshrubby plants from mountainous and alpine zones of the northern hemisphere. Includes genera of succulent or semi-succulent rosettes such as Saxifraga, Bergenia and Chondrosea (= section Aizoon of Saxifraga). Many form dense cushions in rock crevices or stony soils. Circumpolar-alpine distribution.

Family of climbing plants with tendrils and berry fruits, mainly tropical. Includes the grapevine (Vitis vinifera). The genus Cissus contains numerous succulent or caudiciform species with thickened stems or tubers for water storage, native to arid regions of Africa and the Americas.

Familia monotípica de gimnospermas (orden Gnetales) representada únicamente por Welwitschia mirabilis. Una de las plantas más antiguas y únicas del planeta, endémica del desierto de Namib.

Family of flowering plants including succulent and xerophytic species adapted to arid and saline environments. It comprises shrubs, herbs and some succulents distributed mainly in arid tropical and subtropical regions.