Ocimum

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Ocimum
BasilikumGenovesergroßblättriger.jpg
Ocimum basilicum
Scientific classification e
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Asterids
Order: Lamiales
Family: Lamiaceae
Subfamily: Nepetoideae
Tribe:
Genus: Ocimum
L.[1]
Synonyms[2]
  • Becium Lindl.
  • Erythrochlamys Gürke
  • Hyperaspis Briq.
  • Nautochilus Bremek.

Ocimum /ˈɒsɪməm/ is a genus of aromatic annual and perennial herbs and shrubs in the family Lamiaceae, native to the tropical and warm temperate regions of all 6 inhabited continents, with the greatest number of species in Africa.[2] It is the genus of basil and the name is from the Ancient Greek word for basil, ὤκιμον (ṓkimon). Its best known species are the cooking herb cooking basil, O. basilicum and the medicinal herb tulsi (holy basil), O. tenuiflorum.

Cultivation and uses[]

Most culinary and ornamental basils are cultivars of Ocimum basilicum and there are many hybrids between species. Thai basil (O. basilicum var. thyrsiflora) is a common ingredient in Thai cuisine, with a strong flavour similar to aniseed, used to flavour Thai curries and stir-fries. Amazonian basil (O. campechianum) is a South American variety often utilized in ayahuasca rituals for its smell which is said to help avoid bad visions.[3] Holy basil or tulsi (O. tenuiflorum) is a sacred herb in India, used in teas, healing remedies, and cosmetics. The plant is worshipped as dear to Vishnu in some sects of Vaishnavism. It is also used in Thai cooking. Lemon basil (Ocimum × citriodorum) is a hybrid between O. americanum and O. basilicum. It is noted for its lemon flavour and used in cooking. O. centraliafricanum is valued as an indicator species for the presence of copper deposits.

Species[2]
  1. Ocimum americanum L. (tropical Africa), Indian Subcontinent, China, Southeast Asia; naturalized in Queensland, Christmas Island, and parts of tropical America
  2. A.J.Paton - Tanzania
  3. Benth. - southeastern Africa from Kenya to Tranasvaal
  4. Ocimum basilicum L. – Basil, Sweet basil - China, Indian Subcontinent, Southeast Asia; naturalized in Russia, Ukraine, Africa, Mexico, Central America, South America, and various oceanic islands
  5. Benth. - Cape Province of South Africa
  6. Ocimum campechianum Mill. – Amazonian basil - widespread across Florida, Mexico, West Indies, Central and South America
  7. A.J.Paton - Tanzania
  8. (Spreng.) Link & Otto ex Benth. - Mexico, South America
  9. Ocimum centraliafricanum R.E.Fr - Zaïre, Tanzania, Zambia, Zimbabwe
  10. A.J.Paton - Ethiopia, Somalia
  11. (S.D.Williams & K.Balkwill) A.J.Paton - Northern Province of South Africa
  12. (Lanza) A.J.Paton - Ethiopia, Somalia, Kenya
  13. A.J.Paton - Tanzania, Zambia
  14. Gürke - from Zaïre to South Africa
  15. (Sebald) A.J.Paton - Oman
  16. A.J.Paton - Northern Province of South Africa
  17. Gürke - Ethiopia, Zaïre
  18. (P.A.Duvign.) ined. - Zaïre
  19. (P.A.Duvign. & Plancke) A.J.Paton - Zaïre
  20. Forssk. - eastern + southern Africa, Arabian Peninsula, India, Sri Lanka, Myanmar
  21. Briq. - central Africa
  22. Gürke - Kenya, Tanzania
  23. Gürke - Bale Province of Ethiopia
  24. Benth. - eastern Africa from Egypt to Kenya, Angola, Arabian Peninsula
  25. (Ryding) A.J.Paton - Somalia
  26. Lam. - Kenya, Tanzania, Ethiopia
  27. Ocimum gratissimum L. – African basil - Africa, Madagascar, southern Asia, Bismarck Archipelago; naturalized in Polynesia, Mexico, Panama, West Indies, Brazil, Bolivia
  28. (P.A.Duvign.) A.J.Paton - Zaïre
  29. J.K.Morton - West Africa
  30. Sebald - Ethiopia, Somalia
  31. Ayob. ex A.J.Paton - Kenya, Tanzania
  32. Ocimum kilimandscharicum Baker ex Gürke – Camphor basil - Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Sudan, Ethiopia; naturalized in Angola, India, Myanmar, Thailand
  33. (N.E.Br.) A.J.Paton - Mozambique, South Africa, Swaziland
  34. Hochst. ex Benth - eastern + central Africa
  35. Ayob. ex A.J.Paton - Ngong Hills in Kenya
  36. (Ayob. ex Sebald) A.J.Paton - Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda
  37. (P.A.Duvign.) A.J.Paton - Zaïre
  38. Ocimum minimum L. - India, Sri Lanka
  39. (Sebald) A.J.Paton - eastern + central Africa
  40. (Ayob.) A.J.Paton - Zaïre
  41. (Plancke ex Ayob.) A.J.Paton - Zaïre
  42. McCallum & K.Balkwill - Swaziland
  43. Ayob. ex A.J.Paton - Mozambique, KwaZulu-Natal
  44. Benth. - Brazil, Paraguay, Misiones Province of Argentina
  45. (S.Moore) A.J.Paton - Somalia
  46. E.Mey. ex Benth. - tropical Africa, Madagascar
  47. Benth. - Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay, Argentina
  48. (M.R.Ashby) A.J.Paton - Northern Province of South Africa
  49. (A.J.Paton) A.J.Paton - Tanzania
  50. (S.D.Williams & M.Balkwill) A.J.Paton - Mozambique, KwaZulu-Natal
  51. Forssk. - Somalia, Yemen, Saudi Arabia
  52. (Schltr.) A.J.Paton - South Africa, Swaziland
  53. Briq. - Ethiopia
  54. (Gürke) A.J.Paton - Ethiopia, Tanzania, Kenya, Somalia
  55. Deflers - Ethiopia, Yemen, Kenya, Somalia
  56. Ocimum tenuiflorum L. – Holy basil, tulsi - China, Indian Subcontinent, Southeast Asia, New Guinea, Queensland; naturalized in Kenya, Fiji, French Polynesia, West Indies, Venezuela
  57. C.Pereira - Brazil
  58. (R.D.Good) A.J.Paton - Northern Province of South Africa
  59. Robyns & Lebrun - Burundi, Tanzania
  60. (P.A.Duvign. & Plancke ex Ayob.) A.J.Paton - Marungu Province in Zaïre
  61. (De Wild.) A.W.Hill. - Zaïre, Congo-Brazzaville, Angola, Zambia
  62. A.J.Paton - Malawi, Zambia
  63. (S.D.Williams & K.Balkwill) A.J.Paton - Northern Province of South Africa

Hybrids[]

Formerly placed here[]

Ecology[]

Ocimum species are used as food plants by the larvae of some Lepidoptera species including Endoclita malabaricus.

See also[]

References[]

  1. ^ "Genus: Ocimum L." Germplasm Resources Information Network. United States Department of Agriculture. 2004-09-10. Archived from the original on 2014-01-03. Retrieved 2014-01-03.
  2. ^ a b c Kew World Checklist of Selected Plant Families
  3. ^ Steele, John J. (2006). "Perfumeros and the Sacred Use of Fragrance in Amazonian Shamanism". In Jim Drobnick (ed.). The Smell Culture Reader. Berg Publishers. p. 230.
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