Basella L.

Basellaceae, B. Verdcourt. Flora of Tropical East Africa. 1968

Morphology General Habit

Twining subsucculent herbs with long much-branched stems

Morphology Leaves

Leaves alternate; lamina ovate, entire

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Flowers hermaphrodite, sessile, white or coloured, in axillary spikes or panicles of spikes

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracteoles

Bracteoles 2, united into a 2-lipped cup adnate to the perianth

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Perianth

Perianth urceolate or wide open, fleshy; lobes 5, short, incurved, or almost free and spreading

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens

Stamens 5, inserted near the top of the perianth-tube

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Pistil

Ovary ovoid, free; styles 3, or 1 deeply trifid or obsolete; stigmas 3, linear

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Fruit membranous, one-seeded

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seed globose; embryo spiral; endosperm scanty.

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

Type

Basella rubra L., designated by Hitchcock in Hitchcock & Green (1929: 143) [= Basella alba L.].

Morphology General Habit

Scandent vines or sometimes procumbent to erect plants

Morphology Stem

Stem glabrous, rarely puberulent when young, not producing tubers

Morphology Leaves

Leaves petiolate, not decurrent; leaf blade lanceolate to broadly elliptic or cordate, entire, obtuse to acuminate at apex

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Inflorescences unbranched or branched spikes, usually with stout and fleshy axis sometimes thickened in fruit, pedunculate or not

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts

Bracts ± triangular

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracteoles

Bracteoles subtending flower, minute to distinctly developed, ovate to triangular, free

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Flowers sessile, partly sunken into rachis or not, bisexual, chasmogamous or cleistogamous, scentless

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Sepals shorter than petals to equalling them in length, ovate to elliptic, free from each other or partly connate, without dorsal structures, ± obtuse at apex, at anthesis greenish, whitish, or reddish, in fruit pale and ± dry, thin, or purple to black, thick and juicy

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Petals uniform, ovate to elliptic, connate only at base or up to c. 2/3 of their length, ± obtuse at apex, at anthesis greenish, whitish, or reddish, in fruit pale and ± dry, thin, or purple to black, thick and juicy

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens Filaments

Filaments straight or obscurely reflexed in bud, connate and fuLsed at base or up to c. 3/4 of their length with petals into a tube; anthers dorsifixed, slightly to distinctly deltoid, with thecae free at apex, dehiscent by longitudinal slits

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Ovary

Ovary globose to pyriform, sometimes lobed or ridged; style 1, 3-parted almost to the base, or styles 3, usually not persistent, rarely with persistent base in fruit; stigmas linear to clavate, or undifferentiated

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Fruit globose to pyriform, in cross section rounded to somewhat hexagonal, tightly enclosed, partly or completely, by persistent, sometimes eventually disappearing perianth.

Distribution

At present, Basella comprises five species native to southeastern Africa, Madagascar, and possibly Asia. One African species, B. paniculata, is deviating, and it is possibly better placed in a genus of its own.