322 History of Garden Vegetables. [April 
is described as being quite variable in nature. This would indi- 
cate that cultivation had not produced great changes. The only 
difference I have ever noted in the cultivated plant has been in 
regard to vigor, A variegated variety is recorded by Mawe* in 
1778 for the ornamental garden, and is yet to be found.? 
The names which have been given in various languages are: 
- English, dawme, Lyte, 1586, daulm, balm, Blackw., 1750; Danish, 
Iyjertensfryd, Vil, 1883; French, melissa, Ruel., 1536, melisse, 
Dod., 1616, melisse citronnelle, Vil., 1883 ; German, Meltssenkraut, 
Mutterkraut, Lyte, 1586, Cttronem-Melisse, Vil., 1883; Greek, 
melissovotanon, melissohorton, Sibth.; Holland, consihe de greyn, 
melisse, Lyte, 1586, citroen-melisse, Vil., 1883; Italy, cedronella, 
herba rosa, Lyte, 1586, melissa, Dod., ii, Vik, 1883; Spain, 
torongil, yerva eidrera, Lyte, 1586, corongil, oni Vil., 1883. 
BASELLA. Basella sp. 
The Basella species are natives of tropical Asia, and the leaves 
have been employed as a food in India and China. They have 
furnished a spinage plant to European gardeners now for many 
years. 
Basella alba L. 
This species is cultivated in Burmah 3 for spinage, in the Phil- 
ippines + seemingly wild and eaten by the natives. It is also cul- 
tivated in the Mauritius,’ and in every part of India,‘ where it 
occurs wild.” It was introduced to Europe in 1688,3 and was 
grown in England in 1691, but these references can hardly apply 
to the vegetable garden. It is, however, recorded in French 
gardens in 1824 and 1829.*° 
The vernacular names in Europe are: English, White Malabar 
Nightshade ; Flanders, Meier ; France, Baselle blanche, Epinard 
blanc de Amerique, Epinard blanc de Malabar; Germany, In- 
_ discher ee Spinat, Malabar Spinat; Italy, Basella; Spain, 
Basela. 
3 Mawe, l, ç: ` a wien de Pleine Terre, 13th ed., p. 692. 
3 Mason, v. 472-780; quoted 2 Pick. Ch. Hist., 696. 
4 Blanco ; quoted from Pick. Ch. Hist., 696. 
$ Bojer, Hort. Maurit., 1837,270. ®"Drury, Useful Plants of India, 66. 
7 Wight, ic., pl. 896. 3 Noisette, Man. du Jard., 559.. 
9 Mill. Dict., 1807. 2 L’ Hort. Franc., 1824; ‘Tenens, lg Has. 
1: —* Les Pl. Pot., 30. 
