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(Last Modified On 8/9/2013)
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(Last Modified On 8/9/2013)
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Species
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Basella alba L.
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PlaceOfPublication
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Sp. P1. 272. 1753.
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Synonym
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Basella rubra L., Sp. P1. 272. 1753. TYPE: not seen. Basella nigra Loureino, Fl. Cochinch. 183. 1790. TYPE: not seen.
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Description
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Succulent glabrous herb becoming a slender, twining vine, the stems at first stout, to 2 cm thick, green, after several months of growth and attaining height of 15-45 cm, narrowing, sometimes abruptly and becoming slender, elongate and climbing. Leaves sessile or short petiolate, 4-7 cm long, entire, fleshy, ovate, often broadly so, the juvenile leaves often larger, apically rounded, obtuse or acute, basally cuneate, truncate, or cordate, the lateral venation somewhat obscure, ca. 5 veins on each side, minor venation obscure; petioles stout, to 8 cm long or wanting. Inflorescences axillary or subterminal spikes to 15 cm long, the rachis stout or slender depending on the maturity of the plant; flowers subsessile or pedicellate on juvenile forms, situated on the apical portion of the rachis; bract scalelike; bracteoles calyxlike, 1-2 mm long, acute. Flowers perfect, sepals white, pink, or red, 3-5 mm long, united to above the middle, urceolate to cylindrical, the 5 lobes broad, short, cucullate; stamens included, inserted at the base of the perianth lobes, the filaments short, the anthers cordate, included; ovary conical, l-locular, sometimes partitioned, the 3 styles slender, papillose pilose. Fruit a dark purple or black baccate drupe, the perianth parts enlarged, succulent and enveloping the globose seed and ovary.
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Habit
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herb vine
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Note
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Basella alba is cultivated in various parts of the tropics as Ceylon or Malabar spinach or espinaca de China o de Malabar. It is cooked as a pot herb, the flavor like that of spinach (Spinacia oleracea) but with a slimy texture. In some countries the berries are used to color foodstuffs. In Panama it is cultivated in Chinese market gardens in the Canal Zone and by inhabitants of eastern Panama where it escapes and is perhaps naturalized. The change in growth form from 3 For a list of synonyms see Steenis ( 1957). Only these names have been used for Pana- manian plants. Steenis indicates Graham, Cat. -Bombay 170. 1839 was the first to unite B. rubra under B. alba, but he suspected that such action might have been taken earlier, perhaps using the name B. rubra.
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Specimen
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CANAL ZONE: Cultivated, Chinese garden along Thatcher Highway 1 m W of Rodman Naval Station, Nee 10424 (MO, PMA). DARIEN: Rio Chico upriver ca. 1 hour by outboard from Rio Chucunaque, Burch et al. 1125 (MO). Weed near Yaviza, Gentry & Mori 13496 (MO, PMA).
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