(Mesembryanthemum crystallinum), low-growing annual plant, of the carpetweed family (Aizoaceae), and one of 25 species commonly called fig-marigolds, constituting the genus Mesembryanthemum. Most are fleshy-leaved desert herbs. Ice plant is the most commonly grown species and is named for the transparent, glistening swellings on its edible leaves. It is cultivated in gardens and as an indoor potted plant. It is naturalized in California, where it clothes road embankments and provides an erosion control.