Overview
Interesting Facts
Common Names
Click on the language to view common names.
Common Names in English:
Basil, Sweet Basil
Common Names in French:
Basilic
Common Names in German:
Basilienkraut, Basilikum
Common Names in Italian:
Basilico
Common Names in Portuguese:
Alfavaca, Manjericão
Common Names in Spanish:
Albahaca
Description
Genus Ocimum
Herbs, subshrubs
, or shrubs
, aromatic
. Leaves petiolate
, dentate
. Verticillasters
6(-10) -flowered, in terminal
, pedunculate
thyrses
or panicles; bracts early deciduous, petiolate, margin
entire, rarely longer
than flowers. Flowers white; pedicel straight, apex recurved. Calyx ovoid
to campanulate
, declined in fruit, glandular
outside, glabrous
or occasionally villous
at throat
inside, limb 2-lipped; upper lip 3-toothed, middle
tooth
circular to obovate
, margin winged, decurrent, lateral teeth
shorter; lower lip 2 toothed
, teeth narrower, apex acuminate to spinescent
, sometimes approximate
. Corolla tube
slightly shorter than calyx or rarely exserted, not hairy
annulate
inside, dilated
, obliquely campanulate at throat; limb 2-lipped, upper lip subequally (3- or) 4-lobed; lower lip somewhat elongated or not, declined, margin entire, flat or slightly concave
. Stamens 4, exserted, declined on lower corolla lip, anterior 2 longer; filaments
free
or anterior 2 connate
at base
; anthers
ovoid-reniform, 1-locellate. Style longer than stamens, 2-cleft at apex; lobes
subequal
, subulate
or flat. Nutlets
ovoid or subglobose, smooth
or glandular foveolate, viscid
when moist, with a white basal areola.
About 100-150 species: temperate regions
worldwide, especially in Africa and South America; five species in China.[1]
Taxonomy
- Domain:
Eukaryota
(
)
- Whittaker & Margulis,1978
- eukaryotes
- Kingdom:
Plantae
()
- Haeckel, 1866
- Plants
- Subkingdom:
Viridaeplantae
()
- Cavalier-Smith, 1981
- Phylum:
Tracheophyta
()
- Sinnott, 1935 ex Cavalier-Smith, 1998
- Vascular Plants
- Subphylum:
Euphyllophytina
()
- (Auct.) Cavalier-Smith, 1998
- Infraphylum:
Angiospermae
()
- Auct.
- Class:
Magnoliopsida
()
- Brongniart, 1843
- Dicotyledons
- Subclass:
Asteridae
()
- Takhtajan, 1967
- Superorder:
Lamianae
()
- Takhtajan, 1967
- Order:
Lamiales
()
- Bromhead, 1838
- Family:
Labiatae
()
- A.L. de Jussieu, 1789, nom. cons., nom. alt.
- Subfamily:
Nepetoideae
()
- Subfamily:
Nepetoideae
(
- Family:
Labiatae
(
- Order:
Lamiales
(
- Superorder:
Lamianae
(
- Subclass:
Asteridae
(
- Class:
Magnoliopsida
(
- Infraphylum:
Angiospermae
(
- Subphylum:
Euphyllophytina
(
- Phylum:
Tracheophyta
(
- Subkingdom:
Viridaeplantae
(
- Kingdom:
Plantae
(
Notes
Place of publication
: Sp.
pl. 2:597. 1753
Name
verified on 23-Jan-1992 by ARS Systematic Botanists. Last
updated: 23-Aug-1994
Similar Species
Members of the genus Ocimum
ZipcodeZoo has pages for 134 species, subspecies, varieties, forms, and cultivars in this genus. Here are just 100 of them:
O. americanum var. pilosum (Aniseed-Scented Basil) · O. americanum 'Dani' (Basil) · O. americanum 'Genoa Profumatissima' (Perfume Basil) · O. americanum 'Lime' (Basil) · O. basilicum (Basil) · O. basilicum basilicum (Sweet Basil) · O. basilicum citriodora (Lemon Basil) · O. basilicum citriodora 'Mrs. Burns' (Mrs. Burns Lemon Basil) · O. basilicum citriodorum 'Mrs. Burns' (Mrs. Burns Lemon Basil) · O. basilicum f. chlorocalyx (Sweet Basil) · O. basilicum f. chromocalyx (Sweet Basil) · O. basilicum 'Red Rubin' (Red Basil) · O. basilicum 'Minimum' (Bush Basil) · O. basilicum var. purpurascens (Purpurascens Dark Opal Basil) · O. basilicum 'American Blue' (Ornamental Basil) · O. basilicum 'Anise' (Licorice Basil) · O. basilicum 'Ararat' (Basil) · O. basilicum 'Aroma 2' (Basil) · O. basilicum 'Aurelio' (Basil) · O. basilicum 'Bageco Compact' (Basil) · O. basilicum 'Baroness' (Basil 'baroness') · O. basilicum 'Basilico Greco' (Bush Basil) · O. basilicum 'Bonazza' (Basil 'bonazza') · O. basilicum 'Bordeaux' (Basil) · O. basilicum 'Bouquet Mix' (Basil) · O. basilicum 'Chinese Basil' (Chinese Basil) · O. basilicum 'Cinnamon' (Cinnamon Basil) · O. basilicum 'Compact Green Gem' (Basil) · O. basilicum 'Crispum' (Crispum Lettuce-Leaf Basil) · O. basilicum 'Cuban' (Basil) · O. basilicum 'Dwarf Greek' (Basil) · O. basilicum 'Ebony Wonder' (Ornamental Basil) · O. basilicum 'Finissimo Verde a Palla' (Bush Basil) · O. basilicum 'Fino Verde' (Bush Basil) · O. basilicum 'Four Family' (Basil) · O. basilicum 'Francesco's Tall Green' (Basil) · O. basilicum 'Genova' (Genova Basil) · O. basilicum 'Genova Profumitissima' (Basil) · O. basilicum 'Genovese Compatto' (Basil) · O. basilicum 'Genovese Giant' (Mammoth Basil) · O. basilicum 'Genovese O Comune' (Basil) · O. basilicum 'Genovese Purple' (Basil) · O. basilicum 'Genovese Selma' (Basil) · O. basilicum 'Genovese Special Select' (Basil) · O. basilicum 'Genovese Verde Migliorato' (Basil) · O. basilicum'Greek Columnar' (Greek Columnar Basil) · O. basilicum 'Greek Mini' (Basil) · O. basilicum 'Green Bouquet' (Bush Basil) · O. basilicum 'Green Globe' (Basil) · O. basilicum 'Green Ruffles' (Green Ruffles Basil) · O. basilicum 'Gustosa' (Basil 'gustosa') · O. basilicum 'Holly's Painted' (Ornamental Basil) · O. basilicum 'Italian Large Leaf' (Sweet Basil) · O. basilicum 'Italian Pesto' (Basil) · O. basilicum 'Jon's Wild African' (Basil) · O. basilicum 'Karamanos' (Greek Basil) · O. basilicum 'Large Sweet Italian' (Basil) · O. basilicum 'Lesbos' (Lesbos Greek Column Basil) · O. basilicum 'Licorice' (Basil) · O. basilicum 'Magical Michael' (Magical Michael Basil) · O. basilicum 'Magic Michael' (Basil) · O. basilicum 'Mammoth' (Lettuce Leaf Basil) · O. basilicum 'Mammoth Sweet' (Lettuce Leaf Basil) · O. basilicum 'Marseillais' (Basil) · O. basilicum 'Massive' (Basil) · O. basilicum 'Mayo' (Yoeme Basil) · O. basilicum 'Mexican Spice' (Basil) · O. basilicum 'Minette' (Bush Basil) · O. basilicum 'Miniature Puerto Rican' (Basil) · O. basilicum 'Mini Purple' (Basil) · O. basilicum 'Monstruoso' (Basil) · O. basilicum 'Napoletano' (Lettuce Leaf Basil) · O. basilicum 'New Guinea' (Basil) · O. basilicum 'Nufar' (Basil) · O. basilicum 'Osmin' (Purple Basil) · O. basilicum 'Persian Lemon' (Basil) · O. basilicum 'Piccolo' (Basil) · O. basilicum 'Piccolo Fine Verde' (Bush Basil) · O. basilicum 'Pixie' (Globe Basil) · O. basilicum 'Profuma Di Genova' (Basil) · O. basilicum 'Profumo' (Basil 'profumo') · O. basilicum 'Puerto Rican' (Basil) · O. basilicum 'Purple Delight' (Purple Delight Basil) · O. basilicum 'Purple Ruffles' (Purple Ruffles Basil) · O. basilicum 'Queenette' (Thai Basil) · O. basilicum 'Ramastakuri' (Basil) · O. basilicum 'Rick's Aussie' (Purple Basil) · O. basilicum 'Salad Leaf' (Basil) · O. basilicum 'Serata' (Basil) · O. basilicum 'Spice' (Basil) · O. basilicum 'Spicy Globe' (Greek Basil) · O. basilicum 'Spicy Saber' (Basil) · O. basilicum 'Sweet Broadleaf' (Basil) · O. basilicum 'Sweet Dani' (Lemon Basil) · O. basilicum 'Sweet Fine' (Bush Basil) · O. basilicum 'Sweet Genovese' (Basil) · O. basilicum 'Sweet Thai' (Basil) · O. basilicum 'Thai' (Basil) · O. basilicum 'Thai Magic' (Basil) · O. basilicum 'Tibetan' (Basil)
More Info
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Further Reading
- Bisset, N. G., ed. 1994. Herbal drugs and phytopharmaceuticals. A handbook for practice on a scientific basis. (Herbal Drugs)
- Craker, L. E. & J. E. Simon, eds. 1986–1987. Herbs, spices, and medicinal plants, 2 vols. (HerbSpices)
- Davis, P. H., ed. 1965–1988. Flora of Turkey and the east Aegean islands. (F Turk)
- Duke, J. A. et al. 2002. CRC Handbook of medicinal herbs. (CRC MedHerbs ed2)
- Huxley, A., ed. 1992. The new Royal Horticultural Society dictionary of gardening. (Dict Gard)
- Lawrence, B. M. 1992. Chemical components of Labiatae oils and their exploitation. In: Harley, R. M. & T. Reynolds, eds., Advances in labiate science. (Adv Lab Sci) 400, 406–408.
- Leung, A. Y. & S. Foster. 1996. Encyclopedia of common natural ingredients used in food, drugs, and cosmetics, ed. 2. (Ency CNatIn)
- Liberty Hyde Bailey Hortorium. 1976. Hortus third. (Hortus 3)
- Markle, G. M. et al., eds. 1998. Food and feed crops of the United States, ed. 2. (Food Feed Crops US)
- McGuffin, M. et al., eds. 2000. Herbs of commerce, ed. 2. (Herbs Commerce ed2)
- Nasir, E. & S. I. Ali, eds. 1970–. Flora of [West] Pakistan. (F Pak)
- Paton, A. & E. Putievsky. 1996. Taxonomic problems and cytotaxonomic relationships between and within varieties of Ocimum basilicum and related species (Labiatae). Kew Bull. 51:513.
- Paton, A. 1992. A synopsis of Ocimum L. (Labiatae) in Africa. Kew Bull. 47:423.
- Pignatti, S. 1982. Flora d'Italia. (F Ital)
- Rechinger, K. H., ed. 1963–. Flora iranica. (F Iran)
- Rehm, S. 1994. Multilingual dictionary of agronomic plants. (Dict Rehm)
- Ryding, O. 1994. Econ. Bot. 48:65–67.
- Steenis, C. G. G. J. van, ed. 1948–. Flora malesiana. (F Males)
Notes
Contributors
- Brands, S.J. (comp.) 1989-present. The Taxonomicon. Universal Taxonomic Services, Zwaag, The Netherlands. Accessed January 13, 2012.
Identifiers
- GRIN Nomen Number: 25478
- Zipcode Zoo Species Identifier: 1077789
Footnotes
- "Ocimum". in Flora of China Vol. 17 Page 296. Published by Science Press (Beijing) and Missouri Botanical Garden Press. Online at EFloras.org. [back]
