bas·el·la·ce·ae \ˌbasəˈlāsēˌē, -azə-\noun plural Usage: capitalized Etymology: New Latin, from Basella, type genus + -aceae : a small family of usually climbing herbs (order Caryophyllales) sometimes included in the Chenopodiaceae but distinguished by having the calyx and corolla dissimilar • bas·el·la·ceous\| ̷ ̷ ̷ ̷| ̷ ̷shəs\adjective