Basella | |
---|---|
Basella alba | |
Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Plantae |
Clade: | Tracheophytes |
Clade: | Angiosperms |
Clade: | Eudicots |
Order: | Caryophyllales |
Family: | Basellaceae |
Genus: |
Basella L. |
Type species | |
Basella alba | |
Synonyms [1] | |
Gandola Rumph. ex Raf. |
The genus Basella is the type genus of the plant family Basellaceae. Basella contains five known species. [2] Three species are endemic to Madagascar, and one is endemic to southeastern Africa. The fifth is widespread across Southeast Asia, the Indian Subcontinent, and New Guinea. [1]
The genus name is derived from the south Indian name Basale which Hendrik Rheede recorded in Malabar as Basella in his Hortus Malabaricus. The name was utilitized by Linnaeus. [3] [4]