Ocimum basilicum L.

Labiatae, J. K. Morton. Flora of West Tropical Africa 2. 1963

Morphology General Habit

A stout, bushy, aromatic herb

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

White flowers in loose racemes

Cytology

Tetraploid.

Kew Species Profiles

General Description

Ocimum basilicum, commonly known as basil, is an aromatic annual herb and an important economic crop.

Basil is an important economic crop producing annually c.100 tonnes of essential oil worldwide and with a trade value as a pot herb of around US$15 million per year. It is also widely used in systems of indigenous medicine.

Much confusion surrounds basil taxonomy with several forms having different attributes being recognised under the same name. However, a study by Dr Eli Putievsky of Newe Ya'ar Research Centre, Haifa, Israel, working with Alan Paton during a sabbatical year at Kew, used analysis of chromosome numbers and essential oils alongside morphological descriptions to investigate a standardisation of the approach. This type of work is extremely important in order to develop the full economic and medicinal potential of plant species. 

Species Profile

Geography and distribution

Tropics of Asia and Africa; widely cultivated elsewhere.

Description

Ocimum basilicum is an aromatic, annual herb, 0.3-0.5 metres tall, but some cultivars can reach up to 1 m. The plant is almost hairless. Some cultivars, such as the 'Dark Opal', have leaves and stems deep purple in colour. The leaves are ovate, often puckered, flowers white or pink, and fruits have four small nutlets, which are mucilaginous when wet.

Ocimum basilicum is closely related to and frequently confused with Ocimum africanum and Ocimum americanum , but they can be identified on the basis of indumentum (hair distribution) and flower size. Lemon-scented cultivars are usually the result of crosses between O. basilicum and O. africanum .

Uses

Basil is used to flavour soups and sauces and is the main ingredient of pesto sauce. The leaves can be eaten as a salad. Basil is also used in perfumery, soap-making, and to flavour liqueurs. The seeds are edible, and when soaked in water become mucilaginous. In parts of the Mediterranean they are made into a refreshing drink known as cherbet tokhum.

Basil is widely used in systems of traditional medicine, including Ayurveda and traditional Chinese medicine. It is used for treating digestive system disorders, such as stomach ache and diarrhoea, kidney complaints, and infections. In Africa, for example, it is used for treating whooping cough and various types of fever. The leaves are pulped in water to make ear- and eye-drops in parts of west Africa, and a leaf decoction is used for treating coughs.

The leaves are used to make an insecticide that can protect stored crops from beetle damage

Millennium Seed Bank: Seed storage

The Millennium Seed Bank Partnership aims to save plant life worldwide, focusing on plants under threat and those of most use in the future. Seeds are dried, packaged and stored at a sub-zero temperature in Kew's seed bank vault at Wakehurst.

Number of seed collections stored in the Millennium Seed Bank: 13

Seed storage behaviour: Orthodox (the seeds of this plant survive being dried without significantly reducing their viability, and are therefore amenable to long-term frozen storage such as at the MSB)

Germination testing: Successful

Composition values: Oil content 24%, Protein 21%

Cultivation

Unlike other herbs grown in the same family (Lamiaceae) such as rosemary, sage and mint, basil is tropical in origin and as a result is not frost-hardy.

Ecology

Cultivated, not frost-hardy.

Conservation

Least concern.

Hazards

None.

J. R. Timberlake, E. S. Martins (2013). Flora Zambesiaca, Vol 8: part 8. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew

Type

Type: Western Asia, Herb. Linn. 749.5 (LINN lectotype), lectotypified by Morton (J. Linn. Soc., Bot. 58: 232, 1962).

Morphology General Habit

Aromatic, annual or short-lived perennial herb, 20–60 cm tall

Morphology Stem

Stems round-quadrangular or quadrangular, erect or ascending, laxly branched, often woody at base, glabrous or puberulent with minute hairs concentrated on two opposing faces of stem, minutely pubescent on inflorescence axis, usually with young shoots in leaf axils

Morphology Leaves

Leaves petiolate; blade glandular-punctate, 15–50 × 8–20 mm, ovate to elliptical, apex acute, base cuneate or attenuate, entire or subentire, glabrous or with small hairs on veins beneath; petiole 3–40 mm long

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Inflorescence lax, verticils 8–15 mm apart; bract 3–8 × 1–3 mm, ovate, apex acuminate to cuspidate, base cuneate, entire; pedicel 3–4 mm long, erect, slightly recurved, ± flattened

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Calyx ± downward-pointing, 4–5 mm long at anthesis, upper lip ± glabrous, tube and lower lip pubescent or pilose, sparsely gland-dotted, interior with dense ring of hairs at throat; upper lip large, rounded at tip, decurrent, median teeth of lower lip lanceolate, acuminate, lateral lobes deltoid, cuspidate; fruiting calyx 6–8 mm long, throat open, upper lip accrescent, decurrent, rounded and wider at tip, lateral and lower teeth of lower lip ± convergent

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Corolla pink, white or creamy yellow, 7–8 mm long; tube straight, funnel-shaped, scarcely exceeding calyx

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens

Stamens exceeding calyx by 2–3 mm, posterior stamens with large, fleshy, flattened, glabrous outgrowth near base

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Ovary

Ovaries glabrous

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Nutlets black, 2–2.5 mm long, ovoid, longer than broad, ± smooth, mucilaginous when wet.

Distribution

Zambia, Malawi, Mozambique. Introduced from Asia; widely naturalised throughout tropical Africa, Asia and America, cultivated in Europe and SW Asia.

Ecology

Cultivated and naturalised near habitation, also on disturbed ground, especially in damper places; 50–1000 m.

Conservation

Introduced.

Recognition

This species can be confused with O. africanum, especially when immature and without fruit. However, O. basilicum tends to be more glabrous throughout and have a larger corolla, although corolla size in the two species overlaps. Balsinhas 2590, cited above, has the stem densely branched towards the apex, with the verticils lax and adjacent calyces not touching, characters previously used to characterise var. thyrsiflorum.

Bernal, R., Gradstein, S.R. & Celis, M. (eds.). 2015. Catálogo de plantas y líquenes de Colombia. Instituto de Ciencias Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Bogotá. http://catalogoplantasdecolombia.unal.edu.co

Distribution

Cultivada en Colombia; Alt. 0 - 1700 m.; Amazonia, Andes, Islas Caribeñas, Llanura del Caribe, Pacífico, Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, Valle del Cauca, Valle del Magdalena.

Morphology General Habit

Hierba

Bernal, R., G. Galeano, A. Rodríguez, H. Sarmiento y M. Gutiérrez. 2017. Nombres Comunes de las Plantas de Colombia. http://www.biovirtual.unal.edu.co/nombrescomunes/

Vernacular

albahaca , albahaca blanca, albahaca chiracán, albahaca chirarán, albahaca cimarrona, albahaca común, albahaca de Castilla, albahaca del Santísimo, albahaca morada, albahaquilla, albajaca, arbaquita, chirarán, chirarán morado, cimarrona, cotorera, rabadilla de guara, toronjil

Extinction risk predictions for the world's flowering plants to support their conservation (2024). Bachman, S.P., Brown, M.J.M., Leão, T.C.C., Lughadha, E.N., Walker, B.E. https://nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/nph.19592

Conservation

Predicted extinction risk: not threatened. Confidence: confident

Lamiaceae (Labiatae), A.J. Paton, G. Bramley, O. Ryding, R.M. Polhill, Y.B. Harvey, M. Iwarsson, F. Willis, P.B. Phillipson, K. Balkwill, C.W. Lukhoba, D.F. Otieno, & R.M. Harley. Flora of Tropical East Africa. 2009

Type

Lectotype, see Paton, loc. cit. (1992): western Asia, Linnean Herbarium 749.5 (LINN!, lecto.)

Morphology General Habit

Aromatic, annual or short-lived perennial herb, 20–60 cm tall

Morphology Stem

Stems roundedquadrangular, erect or ascending, often woody at base, branching above, glabrous or puberulent with minute hairs concentrated on two opposing faces of the stem, becoming minutely pubescent on the inflorescence axis, usually with young shoots in the axils of the leaves

Morphology Leaves

Leaf blades narrowly ovate to elliptic, 1.5–5 × 0.5–2 cm, entire to shallowly serrate or occasionally laciniate, apex acute to acuminate, base cuneate to attenuate, glabrous or with small hairs on veins beneath, glandular-punctate; petiole 2–40 mm long

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Inflorescence lax, verticils up to 12 mm apart; bracts deciduous or not, narrowly ovate to elliptical, 3–8 × 1–3 mm, acute to cuspidate at apex, cuneate at base; pedicel up to 3–4 mm long, erect, ± flattened, slightly curved

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Calyx ± downwardpointing, 4–5 mm long at anthesis, posterior lip ± glabrous, tube and anterior lip pubescent or pilose, sparsely gland-dotted, interior with a dense ring of hairs at throat; posterior lip large, rounded at tip, decurrent, median teeth of anterior lip lanceolate, acuminate, lateral lobes deltate, cuspidate; fruiting calyx 6–8 mm long, throat open, posterior lip accrescent, decurrent, rounded and wider at tip, lateral and lower teeth of anterior lip ± convergent

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Corolla pink, white or creamy yellow, 7–8 mm long; tube straight, funnel-shaped, scarcely exceeding calyx

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens

Stamens exceeding corolla by 2–3 mm; posterior with a large, fleshy, flattened, glabrous outgrowth near base

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Ovary

Ovary glabrous

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Nutlets black, ovoid, longer than broad, 2–2.5 mm long, ± smooth to minutely tuberculate, mucilaginous when wet

Figures

Fig 22: 5-6, p 139

Ecology

Cultivated and disturbed ground, ground prone to flooding, grassland; sea-level to 1100 m

Conservation

Least concern though it is unclear where this species is native of.

Note

O. basilicum, Sweet Basil, is grown commercially elsewhere for its essential oils and a number of varieties have been proposed. Paton & Putievsky, loc. cit. (1996), suggest that none of these should be given formal varietal rank. One of them, formerly commonly known as var. difforme Benth., with laciniate leaves, has been cultivated on Pemba ( Vaughan 635).

Distribution

Range: Possibly native to Ethiopia, widely naturalised throughout tropical Africa, Asia and America, cultivated in Europe and SW Asia Flora districts: U3 K7 T1 T3 T6

Suddee, S., A. J. Paton, & Parnell, J. (2005). Taxonomic Revision of Tribe Ocimeae Dumort. (Lamiaceae) in Continental South East Asia III. Ociminae. Kew Bulletin, 60(1), 3-75. Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org/stable/4110885

Type

cultivated in Uppsala, Linnean Herbarium 749.1 [lectotype LINN (microfiche!)].

Morphology General Habit

Aromatic, annual or short lived perennial herbs, 0.3 - 1 m tall

Morphology Stem

Stems quadrangular, rounded or round- quadrangular, glabrous or sparsely pubescent, usually with young shoot in the axil of leaves

Morphology Leaves

Leaves dark green, ovate or elliptic-ovate, 15 - 50 x 5 - 25 mm, apex acute, base cuneate, margin entire or sparsely serrate, glandular-punctate, glabrous on both sides or glabrous above, puberulous on veins beneath or pubescent on both sides with longer hairs on midrib and lateral veins beneath; petiole to 20 mm long, pubescent

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Inflorescence lax or dense, verticils up to 12 mm apart, axis pubescent; bracts ovate, elliptic, elliptic-ovate or elliptic-lanceolate, 6 - 10 x 2 - 5 mm, apex acuminate, base cuneate or attenuate, margin pilose, glandular-punctate, pubescent or puberulent on both sides, abaxial with conspicuous median nerve; pedicels 1 - 2 mm long, pubescent

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Calyx campanulate, 4 - 5 mm long at anthesis, 6 - 8 mm long in fruit; posterior lip rounded, decurrent on tube, margin curved, apiculate at apex; anterior lip with 2 median lanceolate, acuminate teeth, slightly longer than posterior, lateral teeth deltoid, cuspidate, almost equal to posterior; throat open; tube with sessile or subsessile glands outside, with a ring of villous hairs at throat and glabrous or glabrescent base inside

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Corolla white, purple or white with purple margin, 7 - 8 mm long; lobes obscurely crenate, pubescent or villous on back; posterior lip with 2 median oblong lobes and 2 lateral broadly oblong lobes; anterior lip boat shaped, oblong in outline; tube straight, glabrous on both sides

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens

Stamens with posterior having a transverse process of tufted hairs near base

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Nutlets dark brown, oblong or ovoid-ellipsoid, 2 - 2.5 x 1 - 1.5 mm, minutely tuberculate with black dots, producing mucilage when wet.

Distribution

Tropical Africa, tropical Asia and tropical America, widely cultivated.

Ecology

In open areas, waste grounds, often cultivated; from sea level to 1100 m.

Phenology

Flowering and fruiting January - December.

Vernacular

Burmese: Ziya-Apyu, Pin-Sein. Cambodian: Ci Nieng Vong. Laotian; Pak Bua La Phe, I Tou. Thai: Hokuai-Suai, Ho-Wo-Su (Karen-Mae Hong Son); Horaphaa (General); Im-Khim-Khaao (Shan-Mae Hong Son). Vietnamese: Rau E, E Tia, E Que, Rau Que, Cay Hung Gioi, Thaokai, Ytou, Chi Sa, Hung Gioi.

Note

From the collection seen at Leiden, Ocimum basilicum sensu Keng includes specimens of both O. basilicum L. and O. americanum L. var. pilosum (Willd.) A. J. Paton

M. Thulin et al. Flora of Somalia, Vol. 1-4 [updated 2008] https://plants.jstor.org/collection/FLOS

Morphology General Habit

Annual or short-lived perennial herb, 0.2–0.6 m tall, subglabrous or sparsely hairy with minute simple hairs; stems subglabrous or sparsely to moderately hairy along two faces

Morphology Leaves

Leaves petiolate; blade narrowly ovate or elliptic, up to 15–50 × 5–20 mm, apex acute to acuminate, base cuneate to attenuate, margin entire to shallowly serrate

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Inflorescences lax or rather dense; bracts persistent or deciduous

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits Fruiting calyx

Fruiting calyx c. 6 mm long, open, hairy in the throat; upper lobe suborbicular, rounded at the base; lateral lobes deltoid, cuspidate; lower lobes not connate, lanceolate, acuminate

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Corolla 5–8 mm long, pale pink, white or creamy yellow

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens

Anterior stamens 2–4 mm longer than the lower lip of the corolla

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Nutlets 1.5–2 × 0.7–1 mm, almost smooth, black, producing mucilage when wet.

Distribution

C2; S2.

Ecology

Altitude range 50–150 m.

Use

Commonly cultivated for culinary purposes

Use

Food, perfume, flavoured liqueurs, medicine, insecticide.

Use

Ocimum basilicum, commonly known as Sweet Basil, is grown comercially for its essential oils and a number of varieties have been proposed. Paton & Putievsky (1996) suggest that none of these should be given formal varietal rank.

Use

The leaves are used in curries in every country in the region. Fresh leaves together with the other fresh vegetables are used as a side dish for Vietnamese style noodles in the northeastern part of Thailand. This species is also the main herb used in the traditional Thai green curry called 'Kang Keow Wan'.