Monday, 13 October 2025

Basella alba L.

 



Family: Basellaceae

Synonym: Basella rubra L.

Vernacular name in Malayalam: Vasala

Habit: Perennial, succulent, climbing or trailing vine with fleshy stems.

Habitat: Cultivated in home gardens; grows well in moist, tropical climates and along fences or trellises.

Distribution: Widely distributed in tropical Asia, Africa, and cultivated in many tropical regions worldwide.

Flowering and Fruiting: Flowers throughout the year; produces small, greenish-white flowers followed by purplish-black berries.

Key identification features: Thick, fleshy, climbing stems; large, ovate, succulent leaves; small axillary flowers; fleshy berries.

Uses: Leaves and stems are edible as vegetables; used in traditional medicine for digestive issues, inflammation, and as a cooling tonic.


































































































Habit: Perennial, succulent, climbing or trailing vine with fleshy stems.

Habitat: Cultivated in home gardens; grows well in moist, tropical climates and along fences or trellises.

Distribution: Widely distributed in tropical Asia, Africa, and cultivated in many tropical regions worldwide.

Flowering and Fruiting: Flowers throughout the year; produces small, greenish-white flowers followed by purplish-black berries.

Key identification features: Thick, fleshy, climbing stems; large, ovate, succulent leaves; small axillary flowers; fleshy berries.

Uses: Leaves and stems are edible as vegetables; used in traditional medicine for digestive issues, inflammation, and as a cooling tonic.

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