The World Flora Online

SELECTED REFERENCES

Bogle, A. L. 1969. The genera of Portulacaceae and Basellaceae in the southeastern United States. J. Arnold Arbor. 50: 566-598. Nowicke, J. W. 1996. Pollen morphology, exine structure and the relationships of Basellaceae and Didiereaceae to Portulacaceae. Syst. Bot. 21: 187-208. Sperling, C. R. 1987. Systematics of the Basellaceae. Ph.D. thesis. Harvard University. Sperling, C. R. and V. Bittrich. 1993. Basellaceae. In: K. Kubitzki et al., eds. 1990+. The Families and Genera of Vascular Plants. 4+ vols. Berlin etc. Vol. 2, pp. 143-146. Wilson, P. 1932e. Basellaceae. In: N. L. Britton et al., eds. 1905+. North American Flora.... 47+ vols. New York. Vol. 21, pp. 337-339.

Vines [herbs], perennial, succulent, mucilaginous, glabrous. Leaves alternate, sessile or petiolate; blade margins entire [toothed]; stipules absent. Inflorescences axillary or terminal, racemose, [spicate, or paniculate], bracteate. Flowers usually bisexual, sessile or pedicellate, subtended by 1-2 bracts; perianth hypogynous, hypanthium present; sepals 2, distinct or basally connate; petals [4-]5[-13], basally connate; nectary annular; stamens [4-]5[-9], epipetalous, basally connate; filaments erect or reflexed in bud, broadened at base; anthers [basifixed]versatile, 4-locular, dehiscence longitudinal [terminal]; pollen [6-] panto-porate; pistils 3-carpellate, unilocular; placentation basal; ovule 1; styles 3, basally connate; stigmas slender, bifid to clavate or capitate [or style 1, with stigma capitate to 3-lobed]. Fruits utricles, surrounded by dry or fleshy perianth, winged or not. Seeds usually rust colored, testa membranous; endosperm copious; embryo curved.

Herbes annuelles ou de courte durée de vie, rampantes, traînantes à lianescentes, généralement glabres et ± charnues ; rhizome tubérisé ou base caulinaire renflée. Stipules absentes. Feuilles simples, alternes ou parfois les basales opposées ou toutes basales, sessiles ou pétiolées ; limbe souvent à base cordée, à marge généralement entière, à nervation pennée ou palmée. Inflorescences axillaires ou terminales, en épis, (en grappes, cymes ou panicules hors du Gabon), bractéifères. Fleurs petites à médiocres, hermaphrodites (rarement unisexuées hors du Gabon), actinomorphes, pédicellées ou sessiles ; périanthe double, ± charnu ; calice à 2 sépales libres ou ± soudés ; corolle à (4)5(13) pétales libres ou ± longuement soudés ; étamines (4)5(9), épipétales, parfois partiellement soudées en un tube, à anthère 2-loculaire, dorsifixe, à déhiscence longitudinale ou apicale ; ovaire supère, 3-carpellé, uniloculaire, à ovule solitaire, à placentation basale ; styles 1 à 3, à stigmates linéaires ou capités. Fruits en utricules, baies ou drupes, entourés par le périanthe persistant et souvent charnu ou par les bractéoles ailées (hors du Gabon). Graines globuleuses, à endosperme réduit ou abondant ; embryon spiralé ou semi-annulaire, à albumen généralement abondant.

Famille des régions tropicales et subtropicales, avec quatre genres et 19 espèces, bien représentée dans le Nouveau Monde, un genre de l’Ancien Monde dont une espèce actuellement à large répartition dans les régions chaudes, est présente au Gabon.

Plantes'herbacées, volubles ou rampantes.'Feuilles'alternes, entières, souvent ± charnues.'Inflorescences'en grappes, panicules ou épis.'Fleurs'en général ☿, petites, actinomorphes, pourvues d'un involucre de deux bractéoles (longtemps considéré comme un calice à 2 sépales); périgone 5-mère, à segments libres ou soudés à la base; étamines 5, opposées aux segments, à anthères extrorses; ovaire supère, 3-carpellaire, 1-loculaire, à placentation basilaire, 1-ovulé; ovule campylotrope, dressé, à funicule court. Fruit : baie, drupe ou akène, souvent entouré du périgone persistant.'Graine sphérique, à embryon recourbé et albumen peu abondant.\n\t\t\tPetite famille comprenant 5 genres, dont un seul dans l'Ancien Monde, et 20 espèces. Au Congo belge, 1 genre et 1 espèce.\n\t\t\tPlusieurs espèces sont cultivées comme aliment (feuilles ou tubercules farineux) ou comme plante ornementale.

Ovary superior, 1-celled, with a solitary basal shortly stalked ovule; style terminal, often deeply divided into 3 stigmas Seed solitary, almost spherical, with a membranous testa; endosperm copious, surrounded by the spirally twisted embryo Fruit indehiscent, surrounded by the persistent often fleshy calyx Sepals 5, often coloured, almost free or united into a 5-lobed tube, imbricate, persistent in fruit Flowers hermaphrodite, actinomorphic, in spikes, racemes or panicles; bracts small; bracteoles 2, often united to the base of the calyx Stamens 5, inserted opposite and at the base of the sepals; filaments free, short; anthers with 2 parallel cells opening longitudinally Petals absent Twiners with slender steins and rather fleshy alternate entire petiolate leaves; stipules absent Seed solitary, almost spherical, with a membranous testa; endosperm copious, surrounded by the spirally twisted embryo Fruit indehiscent, surrounded by the persistent often fleshy calyx Sepals 5, often coloured, almost free or united into a 5-lobed tube, imbricate, persistent in fruit Flowers hermaphrodite, actinomorphic, in spikes, racemes or panicles; bracts small; bracteoles 2, often united to the base of the calyx Stamens 5, inserted opposite and at the base of the sepals; filaments free, short; anthers with 2 parallel cells opening longitudinally Petals absent Twiners with slender steins and rather fleshy alternate entire petiolate leaves; stipules absent

Leaves alternate, entire or almost entire, usually petiolate, exstipulate Subsucculent herbs with slender twining stems, glabrous Inflorescences of spikes, racemes or panicles, axillary or terminal Stamens 5, inserted opposite and at base of perianth lobes; filaments free; anthers dehiscing variously Ovary superior, unilocular; styles terminal, free or united or 3-fid; stigmas 3; ovule solitary, basal, short stalked Flowers small, actinomorphic, hermaphrodite or unisexual; bracts small; bracteoles 2–4, frequently appressed to base of perianth, sometimes winged Perianth 5-lobed, lobes united at base only or into a 5-lobed tube, imbricate, persistent in fruit Fruit indehiscent, enveloped by persistent frequently fleshy perianth Seeds solitary, globose; endosperm present Subsucculent herbs with slender twining stems, glabrous Inflorescences of spikes, racemes or panicles, axillary or terminal Stamens 5, inserted opposite and at base of perianth lobes; filaments free; anthers dehiscing variously Ovary superior, unilocular; styles terminal, free or united or 3-fid; stigmas 3; ovule solitary, basal, short stalked Flowers small, actinomorphic, hermaphrodite or unisexual; bracts small; bracteoles 2–4, frequently appressed to base of perianth, sometimes winged Perianth 5-lobed, lobes united at base only or into a 5-lobed tube, imbricate, persistent in fruit Fruit indehiscent, enveloped by persistent frequently fleshy perianth Seeds solitary, globose; endosperm present

Vines herbaceous or herbs twining, usually fleshy, glabrous. Leaves simple, alternate, usually petiolate, margin entire. Inflorescences of spikes, racemes, or panicles; bracts 3, caducous; bracteoles 2, persistent. Flowers bisexual, actinomorphic, small. Perianth segments 5, white or reddish, distinct or connate at base, imbricate in bud, persistent in fruit. Stamens 5, opposite to petals; filaments inserted on perianth. Ovary superior, 1-loculed; ovule 1, basal, campylotropous. Pistil united from 3 carpels. Style simple with 3 stigmas or 3 free styles. Fruit a utricle, dry or fleshy, often surrounded by persistent bracteoles and perianth. Seed globular; testa membranous; endosperm copious; embryo spirally twisted or semicircular to horseshoe-shaped.

Seeds solitary, almost spherical; endosperm copious or almost absent, surrounded by the spirally twisted or semi-annular embryo Fruit indehiscent, surrounded by the persistent often fleshy perianth or winged bracteoles Stamens 5, opposite to the perianth-lobes, inserted at their base; filaments free, short; anthers versatile, variously dehiscing Ovary superior, 1-locular; ovule solitary, basal, shortly stalked, campylotropous; style terminal, simple or 3-fid, or 3 free styles Flowers regular, hermaphrodite or unisexual, in spikes, racemes or panicles; bracts small; bracteoles 2–4, often 2 adnate to the base of the perianth, sometimes wing-like Perianth 5-lobed; lobes imbricate, sometimes coloured, united into a tube below or almost free, persistent Subsucculent, glabrous, twining herbs with slender stems and alternate, entire, petiolate or rarely sessile, exstipulate leaves Fruit indehiscent, surrounded by the persistent often fleshy perianth or winged bracteoles Stamens 5, opposite to the perianth-lobes, inserted at their base; filaments free, short; anthers versatile, variously dehiscing Ovary superior, 1-locular; ovule solitary, basal, shortly stalked, campylotropous; style terminal, simple or 3-fid, or 3 free styles Flowers regular, hermaphrodite or unisexual, in spikes, racemes or panicles; bracts small; bracteoles 2–4, often 2 adnate to the base of the perianth, sometimes wing-like Perianth 5-lobed; lobes imbricate, sometimes coloured, united into a tube below or almost free, persistent Subsucculent, glabrous, twining herbs with slender stems and alternate, entire, petiolate or rarely sessile, exstipulate leaves