A comparison of C4 and CAM plants

The name C4 plant describes those plants in which the first organic product of carbon fixation is a four-carbon compound. By using this definition, CAM plants are a type of C4 plant because they produce a four-carbon molecule when CO2 is initially taken up. CAM plants, however, do not separate the functions of making a four-carbon molecule and the Calvin cycle into different types of cells. Instead, they make a four-carbon molecule at night and break down that molecule during the day, so that the CO2 can be incorporated via the Calvin cycle.