Ocimum suave

• Interesting Facts
• Description
• Taxonomy
• Similar Species
• More Info
• Further Reading
• Notes

Interesting Facts

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]

Habitat

Typically found at an altitude of 0 to 1,848 meters (0 to 6,063 feet).[2]

Taxonomy

Synonyms

Ocimum Gratissimum Suave • Ocimum Suave

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

• Search for Pictures: images.google.com
• Search for Scholarly Articles: Google Scholar
• Search using Scientific Name and Vernacular Names: All the Web | AltaVista Canada | AltaVista | Excite | Google | HotBot | Lycos
• Search using Specialized Databases: GenBank | Medline | Scirus | CISTI/CAL | Agricola Periodicals | Agricola Books

Further Reading

• Bulletin of miscellaneous information. Additional Series. Royal Gardens, Kew. 9 1915 [Kew, Surrey: Royal Botanic Gardens], 1898-1936; url p. 528.
• Flora of tropical Africa. By Daniel Oliver. .. assisted by other botanists. London, L. Reeve, 1868-1902. url p. 338.
• Forest culture and eucalyptus trees, San FranciscoCubery1876 url p. 343, p. 542.
• Natal plants: Descriptions and figures of Natal indigenous plants, with notes on their distribution, economic value, native names, &c., / by J. Medley Wood and Maurice S. Evans. Published under the auspices of Nat Durban: Bennett & Davis, Printers, 1898-1912. url , .
• Natal plants: descriptions and figures of Natal indigenous plants, with notes on their distribution economic value, native names, etc., etc. / By J. Medley Wood and Maurice S. Evans. Durban: Bennett & Davis, 1899 (i.e. 1898)-1912. url p. 305, p. 78, p. 79.
• Select extra-tropical plants readily eligible for industrial culture or naturalisation with indications of their native countries and some of their uses / by Baron Ferd. von Mueller. Melbourne: R. S. Brain, govt. printer, 1895. url p. 332, p. 615, p. 555.
• Select extra-tropical plants, readily eligible for industrial culture or naturalisation, with indications of their native countries and some of their uses. By Baron Ferd. von Mueller. .. Sydney, T. Richards, government printer, 1881. url p. 210, p. 382.
• Select plants (exclusive of timber trees) readily eligible for Victorian industrial culture with indications of their native countries and some of their uses; an enumeration / offered by Ferd. von Mueller. Melbourne: s.n., 1872 url p. 85.
• The Gardeners' chronicle: a weekly illustrated journal of horticulture and allied subjects. London: [Gardeners Chronicle], 1874-1955. url p. 351.
• The Journal of the Bombay Natural History Society. Bombay: The Society, url p. 912.
• The Journal of the Linnean Society. Botany. 40 1911-12 London: the Society: Longman, Green, Longman, Roberts & Green: ||Williams and Norgate, 1865-1968. url p. 170.
• The century supplement to the dictionary of gardening, a practical and scientific encyclopaedia of horticulture for gardeners and botanists / by Geo. Nicholson. .. [et al.]. Hyde Park, Mass.: Geo. T. King; 1901. url p. 558.
• The flora of British India /By J. D. Hooker assisted by various botanists. Published under the authority of the secretary of state for India in council. 4 1885 London: L. Reeve, 1875-97. url p. 609.
• The flora of British India. London, L. Reeve & Co., 1875-97. url .
• Transactions and proceedings of the Botanical Society of Edinburgh. [Edinburgh]: The Society, 1891-1970. url p. 184.

Notes

Contributors

• Brands, S.J. (comp.) 1989-present. The Taxonomicon. Universal Taxonomic Services, Zwaag, The Netherlands. Accessed January 13, 2012.

Data Sources

Accessed through GBIF Data Portal November 25, 2007:

• Missouri Botanical Garden, Missouri Botanical Garden

Identifiers

• Biodiversity Heritage Library NamebankID: 8880232
• Global Biodiversity Information Facility Taxonkey: 15539475
• Globally Unique Identifier: urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:453122-1
• Zipcode Zoo Species Identifier: 2025121

Footnotes

1. "Ocimum". in Flora of China Vol. 17 Page 296. Published by Science Press (Beijing) and Missouri Botanical Garden Press. Online at EFloras.org. [back]
2. Mean = 797.670 meters (2,617.028 feet), Standard Deviation = 642.650 based on 15 observations. Altitude information for each observation from British Oceanographic Data Centre. [back]

©2004-2012 David Stang. All rights reserved.