Succulent plants, or succulents, are plants that store water in their enlarged fleshy leaves, stems, or roots. The enlargement is usually due to the greater amount of the parenchyma tissue, as in the aloe vera plant.

Although all plants store water, succulent plants are especially adapted and use their hollow bodies to store water for long periods. This allows them to survive in arid environments, where they receive little competition from other plants and herbivores. During the day, their habitat is rather hot. However, the habitat is cooler at night allowing the succulents to respire. Often, morning dewfall helps the plants to survive: Using long hairs, that cover a large part of their surface, some succulents are able to absorb dew.

Many succulents have a waxy coating on their stems and leaves, helping them to retain moisture. Having a large internal volume for storage but minimum surface area is also important to prevent water loss. CAM photosynthesis is also a common water conservation feature found in many succulents.

Succulence is a feature due to convergent evolution and is not necessarily an indication of genetic relationship.

Families and genera

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Plant families and genera in which succulent species occur are listed below.

• Agavaceae: Agave, Beschorneria, Chlorophytum, Furcraea, Hesperaloe, Hesperoyucca, Yucca
• Aizoaceae
• Amaranthaceae: Arthraerva, Salicornia
• Amaryllidaceae: Boophane, Brunsvigia, Cyrtanthus, Haemanthus, Rauhia
• Anacardiaceae: Operculicaria, Pachycormus
• Apiaceae: Steganotaenia
• Apocynaceae: Adenium, Mandevilla, Pachypodium, Plumeria
• Araceae: Zamioculcas
• Araliaceae: Cussonia
• Asclepiadaceae: Absolmsia, Asclepias, Aspidoglossum, Aspidonepsis, Baynesia, Brachystelma, Caralluma, Ceropegia, Cibirhiza, Cynanchum, Dischidia, Dischidiopsis, Duvalia, Duvaliandra, Echidnopsis, Edithcolea, Fanninia, Fockea, Glossostelma, Hoodia, Hoya, Huernia, Huerniopsis, Ischnolepis, Larryleachia, Lavrania, Madangia, Marsdenia, Matelea, Micholitzia, Miraglossum, Notechidnopsis, Odontostelma, Ophionella, Orbea, Orbeanthus, Pachycarpus, Pectinaria, Petopentia, Piaranthus, Pseudolithos, Quaqua, Raphionacme, Rhytidocaulon, Riocreuxia, Sarcorrhiza, Sarcostemma, Schizoglossum, Schlechterella, Stapelia, Stapelianthus, Stapeliopsis, Stathmostelma, Stenostelma, Stomatostemma, Tavaresia, Trachycalymma, Tridentea, Tromotriche, White-sloanea, Xysmalobium
• Asparagaceae: Myrsiphyllum
• Asphodelaceae: Aloe, Astroloba, Bulbine, Chortolirion, Gasteria, Haworthia, Poellnitzia, Trachyandra
• Asteraceae: Baeriopsis, Coulterella, Crassocephalum, Didelta, Gynura, Osteospermum, Othonna, Polyachyrus, Pteronia, Senecio
• Balsaminaceae: Impatiens
• Basellaceae: Anredera, Basella
• Begoniaceae: Begonia
• Bombaceae: Adansonia, Cavanillesia, Ceiba, Pseudobombax
• Brassicaceae: Heliophila, Lepidium
• Bromeliaceae
• Burseraceae: Beiselia, Bursea, Commiphora
• Cactaceae: Acanthocalycium, Acanthocereus, Ariocarpus, Armatocereus, Arrojadoa, Arthrocereus, Astrophytum, Austrocactus, Aztekium, Bergerocactus, Blossfeldia, Brachycereus, Browningia, Brasilicereus, Calymmanthium, Carnegiea, Cephalocereus, Cephalocleistocactus, Cereus, Cintia, Cipocereus, Cleistocactus, Coleocephalocereus, Copiapoa, Corryocactus, Coryphantha, Dendrocereus, Denmoza, Discocactus, Disocactus, Echinocactus, Echinocereus, Echinopsis, Epiphyllum, Epithelantha, Eriosyce, Escobaria, Escontria, Espostoa, Espostoopsis, Eulychnia, Facheiroa, Ferocactus, Frailea, Geohintonia, Gymnocalycium, Haageocereus, Harrisia, Hatiora, Hylocereus, Jasminocereus, Lasiocereus, Leocereus, Lepismium, Leptocereus, Leuchtenbergia, Lophophora, Maihuenia, Malacocarpus, Mammillaria, Mammilloydia, Matucana, Melocactus, Micranthocereus, Mila, Monvillea, Myrtillocactus, Neobuxbaumia, Neolloydia, Neoraimondia, Neowerdermannia, Obregonia, Opuntia, Oreocereus, Oroya, Ortegocactus, Pachycereus, Parodia, Pediocactus, Pelecyphora, Peniocereus, Pereskia, Pereskiopsis, Pilosocereus, Polaskia, Praecereus, Pseudoacanthocereus, Pseudorhipsalis, Pterocactus, Pygmaeocereus, Quiabentia, Rauhocereus, Rebutia, Rhipsalis, Samaipaticereus, Schlumbergera, Sclerocactus, Selenicereus, Stenocactus, Stenocereus, Stephanocereus, Stetsonia, Strombocactus, Tacinga, Thelocactus, Turbinicarpus, Uebelmannia, Weberbauerocereus, Weberocereus, Yungasocereus
• Campanulaceae: Brighamia
• Capparidaceae: Maerua
• Caricaceae: Carica, Jacarathia
• Chenopodiaceae
• Cochlospermaceae
• Commelinaceae: Aneilema, Callisia, Cyanotis, Tradescantia, Tripogandra
• Convolvulaceae: Ipomea, Sictocardia, Turbina
• Crassulaceae: Adromischus, Aeonium, Afrovivella, Aichryson, Cotyledon, Crassula, Cremnophila, Cremnosedum, Dudleya, Echeveria, Graptopetalum, Hylotelephium, Hypagophytum, Kalanchoe, Lenophyllum, Meterostachys, Monanthes, Orostachys, Pachyphytum, Perrierosedum, Phedimus, Pistorinia, Prometheum, Pseudosedum, Rhodiola, Rosularia, Sedella, Sedum, Sempervivum, Sinocrassula, Thompsonella, Tylecodon, Umbilicus, Villadia
• Cucurbitaceae: Apodanthera, Brandegea, Cephalopentandra, Ceratosanthes, Citrullus, Coccinia, Corallocarpus, Cucumella, Cucumis, Cucurbita, Cyclantheropsis, Dendrosicyos, Doyera, Eureindra, Fevillea, Gerrandanthus, Gynostemma, Halosicyos, Ibervilla, Kedostris, Marah, Momordica, Neoalsomitra, Odosicyos, Parasicyos, Syrigia, Telfairia, Trochomeria, Trochomeriopsis, Tumamoca, Xerosicyos, Zehneria, Zygosicyos
• Didieraceae: Alluaudia, Alluaudiopsis, Decaria, Didieara
• Dioscoreaceae: Dioscorea
• Doryanthaceae: Doryanthes
• Ericaceae: Sphyrospermum
• Eriospermaceae: Eriospermum
• Euphorbiaceae: Cnidoscolus, Elaeophorbia, Endadenium, Euphorbia, Jatropha, Monadenium, Synadenium
• Fabaceae: Delonix, Dolichos, Erythrina, Neorautanenia, Pachyrhizus, Tylosema
• Fouquieriaceae: Fouquieria
• Geraniaceae: Monsonia, Pelargonium
• Gesneriaceae: Aeschynanthus, Alsobia, Chirita, Codonanthe, Columnea, Nematanthus, Sinningia, Streptocarpus
• Hyacinthaceae: Albuca, Bowiea, Dipcadi, Drimia, Hyacinthus, Lachenalia, Ledebouria, Litanthus, Massonia, Ornithogalum, Rhadamanthus, Rhodocodon, Schizobasis, Urginea, Whiteheadia
• Icacinaceae: Pyrenacantha
• Lamiaceae: Aeollanthus, Dauphinea, Perrierastrum, Plectranthus, Solenostemon, Tetradenia, Thorncroftia
• Lentibulariaceae
• Loasaceae: Schismocarpus
• Loranthaceae: Tapinanthus
• Melastomataceae: Medinilla
• Meliaceae: Entandrophragma
• Menispermaceae: Chasmanthera, Stephania, Tinospora
• Moraceae: Dorstenia, Ficus
• Moringaceae: Moringa
• Nolanaceae: Nolana
• Nolinaceae: Beaucarnea, Calibanus, Dasylirion, Nolina
• Orchidaceae
• Oxalidaceae: Oxalis
• Passifloraceae: Adenia
• Pedaliaceae: Pterodiscus, Sesamothamnus, Uncarina
• Phyllanthaceae: Phyllanthus
• Phytolaccaceae: Phytolacca
• Piperaceae: Peperomia
• Portulacaceae: Amphipetalum, Anacampseros, Avonia, Calyptrotheca, Ceraria, Cistanthe, Dendroportulaca, Grahamia, Lewisia, Parakeelya, Portulaca, Portulacaria, Schreiteria, Talinella, Talinum
• Rubiaceae: Anthorrhiza, Hydnophythum, Hydrophylax, Myrmecodia, Myrmephythum, Phylohydrax, Squamellaria
• Ruscaceae: Cordyline, Dracaena, Sansevieria
• Sapindaceae: Erythrophysa
• Saxifragaceae
• Sterculiaceae: Brachychiton, Sterculia
• Urticaceae: Laportea, Obertia, Pilea, Sarcopilea
• Viscaceae: Viscum
• Vitaceae: Cissus, Cyphostemma
• Xanthorrhoeaceae
• Zygophyllaceae

For some families, most members are succulent; for example the Cactaceae, Agavaceae, Aizoaceae, and Crassulaceae.

The table below shows the number of succulent species found in some families:

Family	Succulent #	Modified parts	Distribution	--	Agavaceae	300	Leaf	North and Central America	--	Cactaceae	1600	Stem	The Americas	--	Crassulaceae	1300	Leaf (root)	Worldwide	--	Aizoaceae	2000	Leaf	Southern Africa	--	Apocynaceae	500	Stem	Africa, Arabia, India	--	Didiereaceae	11	Stem	Madagascar (endemic)	--	Euphorbiaceae	> 1000	Stem and/or leaf and/or root	Africa, Madagascar, Asia, the Americas, Europe, Australia	--	Asphodelaceae	500	Leaf	Africa, Madagascar	--	Portulacaceae	?	Leaf and stem	The Americas	--

External links

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• http://www.bihrmann.com/caudiciforms/ Caudiciform plants
• http://www.succulents.net/society/ South African Succulent Society
• http://www.bcss.org.uk/ British Cacti and Succulent Society
• http://www.cssainc.org/ The Cactus & Succulent Society of America
• http://www.lapshin.org/succulent/ English/Russian
• http://www.sukkulenten.ch in German
• http://www.TheAmateursDigest.com Cacti,Succulents,Caudiciforms English/ International
• http://governmentcheese.ca/cactuscam World’s Largest Succulent Web Cam

Plants | Plant morphology

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