Basella alba, L. (syn. Basella rubra, L.; Basella cordifolia, Lam.) India: cultivated almost univerally, especially in lower Bengal and Assam. Used as a pot-herb. Succulent mucilaginous leaves made into curry. The sap is a source of edible agar. Ethnomedical uses: juice is demulcent and cooling applied to allay the heat and itiching resulting from urticaria. Boiled leaves used as a poultice. Chemical composition (after Hooper): Water = 92.00% (fresh). Fat = 6.87% (dry). Albumenoids = 20.42% (dry). Carbohydrates = 32.90% (dry). Fibre = 11.55% (dry). Ash = 28.27% (dry). Nitrogen = 3.27% (dry). Phosphoric acid = 1.32% (dry). Silicates = 6.70% (dry). Vernacular names (cultivated variety) - Bengali, Hindi: Poi, Poaya; (wild variety): Ban-poi, Myal-ki-bhaji, Suped-bachla, Chakai. Assamese: Pui-sak, Purai, Ban-purai, Ban pui. Duk.: Sufed-bachla-ki -bhaji. Kutch-Sindhi: Poi. Tamil: Vasala-vasla kire. Telugu: Alu bachchali, Karu-bach-chali, Polam-bach-chali, Pedda-bach-chali ; (a variety): Pedda-bulchala (red variety. Malabar: Basella-kira. Kannada: Bili-basale. Marathi: Mayal. Sanskrit: Potaki, Upodika. English: Malabar Nightshade. Ref. HOOPER, UPHOF.