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Stonecrop family
Crassulaceae
ベンケイソウ科
A large family of about 34 genera and 1,400 species including Hylotelephium, Sedum, Kalanchoe, and Echeveria. Known as succulents, many species perform CAM photosynthesis adapted to arid conditions. Widely distributed on rocky and dry habitats from the tropics to temperate regions.
Key Characteristics
- ●Succulent leaves and stems store water
- ●CAM photosynthesis (nocturnal CO2 uptake, daytime fixation) for drought adaptation
- ●Flowers 4- to 5-merous, often star-shaped
- ●Stamens equal in number to or twice the petals
- ●Fruits are aggregate follicles
Morphological Traits
A family may include species with different trait values — multiple values indicate the range within the family.
Leaf arrangement
Alternate / Opposite / Whorled
Leaf type
Simple
Venation
Pinnate
Leaf margin
Serrate / Entire / Crenate
Growth form
Shrub / Tree / Herb
Evergreen/Deciduous
Evergreen
Leaf dissection
Dissected / Undivided
Stipules
Absent
Flower symmetry
Actinomorphic
Petal count
6 petals
Petal fusion
Free
Ovary position
Superior
Stamen count
3-4
Plant sex
Hermaphrodite
Phylogenetic Position
Angiosperms > Eudicots > Core eudicots > Saxifragales > Crassulaceae
Divergence Era
Paleogene (approx. 50–40 million years ago)
Representative Genera
Related Evolution Events
- ・Independent evolution of CAM photosynthesis in multiple lineages
- ・Adaptation to arid and rocky environments through succulence
Plants in Stonecrop family on this site
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