Basella madagascariensis Boivin ex H.Perrier

First published in Notul. Syst. (Paris) 14: 55 (1950)
This species is accepted
The native range of this species is Madagascar. It is a climbing subshrub and grows primarily in the seasonally dry tropical biome.

Descriptions

Extinction risk predictions for the world's flowering plants to support their conservation (2024). Bachman, S.P., Brown, M.J.M., Leão, T.C.C., Lughadha, E.N., Walker, B.E. https://nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/nph.19592

Conservation
Predicted extinction risk: threatened. Confidence: confident
[AERP]

Eriksson, R. (2007). A Synopsis of Basellaceae. Kew Bulletin, 62(2), 297-320. Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org/stable/20443356

Type
Syntypes (Boivin 2029-5, Decary 18852, Humbert 12291, Perrier 4606 & 5236), lectotype not designated.
Morphology General Habit
Twining vine
Morphology Stem
Stem glabrous
Morphology Leaves
Leaf blades 2 - 6 x 1 - 2.5 cm, ± elliptic, at base attenuate to cuneate, at apex acute to acuminate
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescences up to 9 cm long, unbranched or sparingly branched, with rather stout axis not thickened in fruit
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracteoles
Bracteoles minute, ± triangular
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Flowers sunken into rachis, cleistogamous or sometimes chasmogamous
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx
Sepals 4 - 5.5 x 1.5 - 3.5 mm, equalling petals in length, ± erect, elliptic to ovate, ± free from each other, at anthesis whitish
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla
Petals 4 - 5.5 x 1.5 - 2.5 mm, ± erect, elliptic to somewhat obovate, connate 1/3 - 2/3 of their length, at anthesis whitish
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens Anthers
Anthers probably yellowish
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Style
Style 1, 3-parted almost to the base
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Fruit c. 2 mm in diam., tightly enclosed by persistent, thin and dry, usually eventually disappearing perianth.
Distribution
In northern, western, and southern Madagascar.
Ecology
Known from rather low altitudes
Note
The variations of Basella madagascanensis and the closely related B. leandriana are not fully understood, and these species are not distinctly delimited from each other. Basella madagascariensis has much thinner infructescence axes than B. leandriana, and smaller, globose fruits, but these may in fact represent the extremes in a continuous variation of the same species. More material need to be examined before any conclusions about their delimitations can be drawn.
[KBu]

Sources

  • Angiosperm Extinction Risk Predictions v1

    • Angiosperm Threat Predictions
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0

  • Kew Bulletin

    • Kew Bulletin
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Kew Names and Taxonomic Backbone

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2024. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2023 International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0

  • World Checklist of Vascular plants (WCVP)

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2024. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2023 World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0