Name: Crassulaceae
Meaning of Name:
Crassulaceae, from Latin crassula, from Latin crassus, (‘thick’, a reference to the leaves) + ule (diminutive, i.e. a suffix indicating smallness) + Latin -āceae (the feminine plural of -āceus,‘resembling’, a suffix used to form the taxonomic family names of plants, algae, bacteria, and fungi)
Common Names:
The crassula, stonecrop, or orpine family
Botanical Information:
Crassulaceae contains about 35 genera and 1,400 species, with most of these species in southern Africa and the remainder mostly in Europe and Asia.
Crassulaceae are succulents and thrive in dry conditions and nutrient-poor soil. Popular and very recognisable ornamentals include the Jade plant and other Crassula sp., houseleeks (Sempervivum sp.), and those of the Aeonium, Sedum and Echeveria genera.
Crassulaceae are marked by their succulent leaves and a form of photosynthesis which is even named after them: Crassulacean acid metabolism (CAM). (CAM is not unique to this family but was first discovered in this family. Cacti, orchids and bromeliads also perform CAM.)
The image chosen to illustrate this family shows an overview of CAM in action. (View detail.).
Picture: Original: YikrazuulDerivative: Ed (Edgar181), Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
