Ficoideae
A large natural order, containing about 450 species principally distributed throughout tropical and sub-tropical regions. They are small shrubs, undershrubs, or herbs. Flowers terminal or axillary, solitary, or in cymes, often very beautiful, sometimes minute and inconspicuous. Leaves opposite or alternate, undivided, usually fleshy or thickened, flat, terete, or triangular. None of the genera are much importance from an economic point of view; some of the species of Tetragonia are used as pot-herbs. The genus just named, and Mesembryanthemeae, are the best known; indeed, the natural order is called Mesembryanthemeae in some works.