

Basella
Botanical name: Basellaceae
Basella
Botanical name: Basellaceae

Species of Basella

Madeira vines
Madeira vines are evergreen vines that are native to the tropical Americas but have been introduced to other warm climates. They can grow invasively, spreading widely and smothering other plants, and are classed as weeds in countries including Sri Lanka and the Dominican Republic. They grow so thickly that they can cause mature trees to collapse.
Basella
Basella are a genus that contains just a handful of species of tropical flowering vines. All but one of these species are native to just Africa or Madagascar. Basella alba is widely grown as a food crop and is a good source of protein and vitamins. The red-stemmed members of this genus were used in the past to make dyes.

Scientific Classification
