A genus of tropical flowering plants with fleshy leaves and small flowers, sometimes cultivated as ornamental or edible plants.
From Latin/New Latin botanical nomenclature, possibly from an indigenous language name. The genus was formally classified in Linnaean taxonomy in the 18th century.
Basella alba, called Indian spinach or Malabar spinach, isn't actually spinach at all—it's from a completely different plant family, showing how common names confuse us while scientific names keep things straight.
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