Vine spinach (Basella rubra L.): entire fruiting plant. Coloured etching by M. Bouchard, 1774.

The leaves of Basella rubra are eaten as vegetables and the fruit sap used to colour food

Basella rubra = (Basella alba) = (Basella cordifolia)

[Romae (Rome)] : [Bouchard et Gravier], [1774]

1 print : etching, with watercolour ; platemark 36.3 x 22.0 cm

Basella rubra, caule, et foliis purpureis, D.Tosseu. - Basella. H.Mal.7.pag.45,t.24 Solanum Tinctorum, Zeylanicum, minus, Herm.par.App.12. - Ital. Basella

Wellcome Collection 17028i