Name: Basellaceae
Meaning of Name:
Basellaceae, from Basella, from the south Indian name Basale, recorded by the Dutch botanist Hendrik Rheede (1636-1691) in Malabar as Basella, + Latin -āceae (the feminine plural of -āceus, ‘resembling’, a suffix used to form the taxonomic family names of plants, algae, bacteria, and fungi)
Common Names:
None
Botanical Information:
Basellaceae contains four genera and 19 species, all of which are perennial, non-woody, climbing or trailing vines.
One species, Malabar or climbing spinach (Basella alba), is an important foodcrop through Africa and Asia.
One defining botanical characteristic of Basellaceae is the fleshy, stiff inflorescence spike.
The photo chosen to illustrate this family shows the inflorescence of Basella alba ‘Rubra’.
Image copyright © Optimate Group Pty Ltd
