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{{Taxobox
| color = lightgreen
| name = ''Basella alba''
| image = Basella alba-2.JPG
| image_width = 240px
| regnum = [[Plant]]ae
| divisio = [[Magnoliophyta]]
| classis = [[Magnoliopsida]]
| ordo = [[Caryophyllales]]
| familia = [[Basellaceae]]
| genus = ''[[Basella]]''
| species = '''''B. alba'''''
| binomial = ''Basella alba''
| binomial_authority = [[Carolus Linnaeus|L.]]
}}
'''''Basella alba''''' is a [[perennial plant|perennial]] [[vine]] found in the tropics where it is widely used as a [[leaf vegetable]].
==Description==
''Basella alba'' is a fast-growing, soft-stemmed [[vine]], reaching 10 m in length. Its thick, semi-[[succulent]], heart-shaped leaves have a mild flavour and mucilaginous texture.
==Uses==
===Food===
The vegetable is used in [[Chinese cuisine]]. Its many names include flowing water vegetable (潺菜, Mandarin ''chāncài'', Cantonese ''saan choy'', ''shan tsoi''), fallen [[hollyhock]] (落葵 Mandarin ''luokui'', Cantonese ''lor kwai''), wood ear vegetable (木耳菜 ''muercai'') and emperor vegetable (帝王菜 ''diwangcai'').
In Africa, the mucilagenous cooked shoots are most commonly used.<ref name="prota">Grubben, G.J.H. & Denton, O.A. (2004) Plant Resources of Tropical Africa 2. Vegetables. PROTA Foundation, Wageningen; Backhuys, Leiden; CTA, Wageningen.</ref>
Although it is only distantly related to the vegetable [[spinach]], it is commonly known as Malabar-, Ceylon-, Indian-, East-Indian-, Surinam-, Chinese-, or Vietnamese spinach. It is also known as Malabar nightshade or Malabar climbing spinach, broad bologi, mồng tơi and buffalo spinach. Its Bengali names are 'pui saag' and 'bachhali' ([[Telugu language|Telugu]]).
Typical of leaf vegetables, it is high in [[vitamin A]], [[vitamin C]], [[iron]], and [[calcium]]. It is low in calories by volume, and high in protein per calorie. The succulent [[mucilage]] is a particularly rich source of [[soluble fiber]], thought to remove mucus and toxins from the body. The plant is also a rich source of chlorophyll.
Among many other possibilities, Malabar spinach may be used to thicken [[soup]]s or [[stir frying|stir-fried]] with [[garlic]] and [[chile pepper]]s.
[[Image:Basella alba-1.JPG|thumb]]
==References==
{{Reflist}}
== External links ==
{{commons|Basella alba|Basella alba}}
{{unimelb|Basella.html}}
*[http://database.prota.org/dbtw-wpd/exec/dbtwpub.dll?AC=QBE_QUERY&BU=http%3A%2F%2Fdatabase.prota.org%2Fsearch.htm&TN=PROTAB~1&QB0=AND&QF0=Species+Code&QI0=Basella+alba&RF=Webdisplay PROTAbase on ''Basella alba'']
*[http://www.nre.vic.gov.au/trade/asiaveg/thes-09.htm Photo and multilingual synonyms]
*[http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/MV138 University of Florida Agricultural Extension]
*[http://www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/proceedings1999/v4-388.html#basellaceae Evaluation of tropical leaf vegetables in the Virgin Islands]
*[http://www.worldcrops.org/crops/Malabar-Spinach.cfm Malabar Spinach ''Basella alba'', ''B. ruba''] (WorldCrops)
[[Category:Caryophyllales]]
[[Category:Leaf vegetables]]
| color = lightgreen
| name = ''Basella alba''
| image = Basella alba-2.JPG
| image_width = 240px
| regnum = [[Plant]]ae
| divisio = [[Magnoliophyta]]
| classis = [[Magnoliopsida]]
| ordo = [[Caryophyllales]]
| familia = [[Basellaceae]]
| genus = ''[[Basella]]''
| species = '''''B. alba'''''
| binomial = ''Basella alba''
| binomial_authority = [[Carolus Linnaeus|L.]]
}}
'''''Basella alba''''' is a [[perennial plant|perennial]] [[vine]] found in the tropics where it is widely used as a [[leaf vegetable]].
==Description==
''Basella alba'' is a fast-growing, soft-stemmed [[vine]], reaching 10 m in length. Its thick, semi-[[succulent]], heart-shaped leaves have a mild flavour and mucilaginous texture.
==Uses==
===Food===
The vegetable is used in [[Chinese cuisine]]. Its many names include flowing water vegetable (潺菜, Mandarin ''chāncài'', Cantonese ''saan choy'', ''shan tsoi''), fallen [[hollyhock]] (落葵 Mandarin ''luokui'', Cantonese ''lor kwai''), wood ear vegetable (木耳菜 ''muercai'') and emperor vegetable (帝王菜 ''diwangcai'').
In Africa, the mucilagenous cooked shoots are most commonly used.<ref name="prota">Grubben, G.J.H. & Denton, O.A. (2004) Plant Resources of Tropical Africa 2. Vegetables. PROTA Foundation, Wageningen; Backhuys, Leiden; CTA, Wageningen.</ref>
Although it is only distantly related to the vegetable [[spinach]], it is commonly known as Malabar-, Ceylon-, Indian-, East-Indian-, Surinam-, Chinese-, or Vietnamese spinach. It is also known as Malabar nightshade or Malabar climbing spinach, broad bologi, mồng tơi and buffalo spinach. Its Bengali names are 'pui saag' and 'bachhali' ([[Telugu language|Telugu]]).
Typical of leaf vegetables, it is high in [[vitamin A]], [[vitamin C]], [[iron]], and [[calcium]]. It is low in calories by volume, and high in protein per calorie. The succulent [[mucilage]] is a particularly rich source of [[soluble fiber]], thought to remove mucus and toxins from the body. The plant is also a rich source of chlorophyll.
Among many other possibilities, Malabar spinach may be used to thicken [[soup]]s or [[stir frying|stir-fried]] with [[garlic]] and [[chile pepper]]s.
[[Image:Basella alba-1.JPG|thumb]]
==References==
{{Reflist}}
== External links ==
{{commons|Basella alba|Basella alba}}
{{unimelb|Basella.html}}
*[http://database.prota.org/dbtw-wpd/exec/dbtwpub.dll?AC=QBE_QUERY&BU=http%3A%2F%2Fdatabase.prota.org%2Fsearch.htm&TN=PROTAB~1&QB0=AND&QF0=Species+Code&QI0=Basella+alba&RF=Webdisplay PROTAbase on ''Basella alba'']
*[http://www.nre.vic.gov.au/trade/asiaveg/thes-09.htm Photo and multilingual synonyms]
*[http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/MV138 University of Florida Agricultural Extension]
*[http://www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/proceedings1999/v4-388.html#basellaceae Evaluation of tropical leaf vegetables in the Virgin Islands]
*[http://www.worldcrops.org/crops/Malabar-Spinach.cfm Malabar Spinach ''Basella alba'', ''B. ruba''] (WorldCrops)
[[Category:Caryophyllales]]
[[Category:Leaf vegetables]]
