RESEARCH PRIORITIES IN THE SUCCULENT PLANT FAMILY MESEMBRYANTHEMACEAEFENZL

The Mesembryanthemaceae, South Africa's largest succulent plant family , constitutes a major part of the southern African succulent flora. Wi th approximately 1 800 species in 117 genera, it is also South Africa' s second largest plant family. It is almost entirely endemic to southe rn Africa, although a few species occur naturally outside this region. We view the group as a distinct family and recommend using the legiti mate family name Mesembryanthemaceae Fenzl. The re-inclusion of this g roup in the Aizoaceae is not advocated here. More than three-quarters of Mesembryanthemaceae species have never been revised. This neglect b y systematists is rooted primarily in the magnitude of the group and t he morphological problems associated with succulence. This article aim s to summarize the current taxonomic status of mesemb genera, highligh t the problematic areas in mesemb classification, and prioritize taxon omic research in the Mesembryanthemaceae. We derail the hierarchic lev el at which taxonomic treatments are available, indicate the hierarchi c level which is seen as most problematic, and provide subjective prio rity ratings for each genus as a guideline for future research.