Basellaceae

E58847

Basellaceae is a small family of flowering plants, including mostly tropical climbing herbs and vines such as Malabar spinach, known for their succulent stems and edible leaves.


Statements (43)
Predicate Object
instanceOf plant family
taxon
clade Angiosperms
Eudicots
climbingHabit many species are climbers
commonCropMember Malabar spinach
commonName Basella family
culinaryUse leaves used as spinach substitute
describedAs small family of flowering plants
distribution mainly tropical regions
economicUse leafy vegetable
ornamental plant family
edibility several species cultivated as vegetables
flowerType bisexual flowers
small flowers
fruitType single-seeded fruit
geographicDiversity also present in Africa and Asia
highest in tropical Americas
growthForm mostly climbing herbs
vines
habitat tropical and subtropical areas
hasSucculentMembers true
includesGenus Anredera
Basella
Tournonia
kingdom Plantae
leafArrangement alternate leaves
leafTexture succulent
leafType edible leaves
fleshy leaves
lifeCycle mostly perennial
MalabarSpinachScientificName Basella alba
notableSpecies Basella alba
Basella rubra
order Caryophyllales
photosyntheticPathway C3 photosynthesis
pollination insect-pollinated
reproduction sexual reproduction via flowers
stemCharacteristic often twining
stemType succulent stems
systematicPosition family within Caryophyllales
taxonomicRank family
typeGenus Basella

Referenced by (1)
Subject (surface form when different) Predicate
Caryophyllales
containsTaxon

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