524 



BASELLACE.E. 



[Perigynous Exogens. 



Order CXCIX. BASELLACEjE.— Basellads. 



Basellaceae, Moquin Tandon Chenopod. Monogr. p. 10. (1840). 



Diagnosis.— Ficoidal Exogens, with distinct sepals, no petals, fruit inclosed in a membra- 

 nous or succulent calyx, a single solitary carpel, and an erect seed. 



Climbing, herbaceous, or shrubby plants, usually somewhat succulent. Leaves 

 alternate, without stipules. Flowers coloured, naked, sessile or stalked, sometimes 

 without bracts. Sepals imbricated in two rows, fleshy, hardly opening. Stamens 



opposite the sepals, in- 

 serted into their sides ; 

 anthers 2 - celled, (in 

 Basella, opening out- 

 wards longitudinally.) 

 Ovary free, simple, one- 

 celled, with a single 

 erect, sessile, anatropal 

 ovule ; styles several. 

 Fruit membranous. 

 Embryo annular, or 

 coiled up spirally, with 

 mealv albumen in the centre, or separated into two superficial masses ; radicle inferior. 

 These plants, which have all the general characters of scandent Chenopods, have been 

 separated from that Order on account of their coloured calyx, which scarcely opens, 

 and has its sepals distinctly arranged in two rows, and their perigynous stamens. 

 The anthers in Basella are moreover turned outwards, but I know not how far that 

 is characteristic of the Order. Basellads differ from Scleranths in the want of a 

 hardened tube to cover over the seed-vessel, and from Aizoons in the perfect simplicity 

 of their carpel. , . .- . 



The species are all tropical, with the exception of Lophiocarpus, a Siberian plant, it it 



really belongs here. 



Basella rubra and alba are employed as pot-herbs in the East Indies, where they 

 are held in some esteem as a substitute for Spinage. B. tuberosa has a great 

 fleshy root, which is eaten by the women of Quito, under the idea that it increases 

 their fecundity. Basella rubra yields a very rich purple dye, but it is said to be difficult 

 to fix. 



CCCLV1I. 



GENERA. 



Basella, I. 



Gaiulnla, Rurnph. 

 Boussingaultia, H. B. 

 Anredera, Juts. 



ClariMa, Abat. 



Melloca, Lindl. 



Ullucus, Lozano. 

 Tournonia, Moq. 

 Tandonia, Moq. 



Numbers. Gen. 4. Sp. 12. 



CJienopodiacece. 

 Position. — Tetragoniacese. — Basellaceae. — Scleranthacese. 



Fig CCCLVIl —Basella rubra. 1. a flower ; 2. the same opened vertically ; 3. ovary ; 4 

 ripe fruit and inverting calyx divided perpendicularly ; 5. the embryo. 



th* 



