Aridaria

Shrubs, low growing or up to 1 m high and erect; branches much lignified; cortical bundles 0; epidermal bladder cell idioblasts small and much flattened; roots thickened. Leaves decussate throughout and shortly connate at base, subcylindrical, deciduous; with distinct central water storing tissue. Flowers in dichasia, up to 40 mm in diameter, white or bright pink on inside, suffused in different shades on outside; open during day, evening, or night. Sepals 4; sepals, petals and stamens basally connate into a short tube. Petals in several series, narrowly linear, white or pink, suffused in different shades of yellow, copper, pink or red on outside. Stamens erect; pollen tricolpate, tectum punctate or punctate-foveolate, microspinulose or spinulose. Nectary composed of 4 shell-shaped depressions. Ovary semi-inferior, placentation axile; stigmas 4 or 5, subulate, 3 -5 mm long. Fruit a Mesembryanthemum type capsule, 4- or 5-locular, hygrochastic, usually opening and closing repeatedly, rarely opening only once and not closing again; expanding keels parallel; valve wings present; fruit breaking off easily and stalks becoming spiny. Seeds D- or horseshoe-shaped, +/- 1.5 mm long, brown or dark brown, with or without a crest; testa cells with central papillae, in distinct or indistinct concentric rows. x = 9 ( polyploidy). F lowering spring to early summer. D istinguishing characters: stems woody; leaves with flattened bladder cell idioblasts; upper and lower parts of fruits of equal proportions.