pronounced: bass-ell-AY-see-eye
This family consists of herbaceous vines or twining herbs, distributed mainly in the New World tropics. Members of the family have fleshy entire leaves, tuberous rootstocks, and red or white flowers in branched or unbranched clusters. Madeira Vine (a serious pest in many places) is cultivated as an ornamental, and Malabar spinach is grown as a vegetable in warmer parts, especially in China, and also cultivated as an ornamental in cooler climates.
