Ocimum gratissimum L.
subsp. gratissimum
var. gratissimum

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Ocimum gratissimum subsp. gratissimum var. gratissimum

Photo: Bart Wursten
Mukuvisi Woodland, office area

Ocimum gratissimum subsp. gratissimum var. gratissimum

Photo: Bart Wursten
Mukuvisi Woodland, office area

Ocimum gratissimum subsp. gratissimum var. gratissimum

Photo: Bart Wursten
Along Zvishavane - Mbalabala road

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Species details: Click on each item to see an explanation of that item (Note: opens a new window)

Synonyms: Ocimum suave Willd.
Ocimum suave Willd. var. distantidens Briq.
Ocimum superbum Buscal. & Muschl.
Ocimum trichodon Gürke
Ocimum urticifolium Roth
Ocimum viride Willd.
Common names: Wild basil (English)
Frequency:
Status: Native
Description:
Erect perennial herb or soft shrub, up to 2 m. Leaves opposite, ovate-lanceolate, variously pubescent on both surfaces, gland dotted below. Margins often only dentate in the upper half. Inflorescences terminal, simple or sparingly branched. Calyx densely pubescent on the outside, lower lip often closing the mouth and obscuring the small white corolla.
Notes:
Derivation of specific name:
Habitat: Along margins of forest, woodland, margins of vleis and in disturbed ground.
Flowering time:
Worldwide distribution: Widespread in tropical Africa and Limpopo, North-West, Mpumalanga, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Also into Asia as far as India; naturalized in Brasil.
Botswana distribution: N,SW,SE
Growth form(s):
Endemic status:
Red data list status:
Insects associated with this species:
Spot characters: Display spot characters for this species
Content last updated: Monday 7 March 2016
Literature:

Baumann, G. (2005). Photographic Guide to Wildflowers of Malawi Wildlife and Environmental Society of Malawi Pages 150 - 151. (Includes a picture).

Burrows, J.E. & Willis, C.K. (eds) (2005). Plants of the Nyika Plateau Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 31 SABONET, Pretoria Page 187.

Heath, A. & Heath, R. (2009). Field Guide to the Plants of Northern Botswana including the Okavango Delta Kew Publishing Page 275. (Includes a picture).

Mapaura, A. & Timberlake, J. (eds) (2004). A checklist of Zimbabwean vascular plants Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 33 Sabonet, Pretoria and Harare Page 56.

Paton, A.J. et al. (2013). Lamiaceae Flora Zambesiaca 8(8) Pages 116 - 118.

Phiri, P.S.M. (2005). A Checklist of Zambian Vascular Plants Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 32 Page 70.

Setshogo, M.P. (2005). Preliminary checklist of the plants of Botswana. Sabonet Report no. 37. Sabonet, Pretoria and Gaborone Page 78.

Strugnell, A.M. (2006). A Checklist of the Spermatophytes of Mount Mulanje, Malawi Scripta Botanica Belgica 34 National Botanic Garden of Belgium Page 112.

Timberlake, J.R. & Childes, S.L. (2004). Biodiversity of the Four Corners Area: Technical Reviews Volume Two (Chapter 5-15) Appendix 5-1: Plant Checklist Occasional Publications in Biodiversity 15 Page 215.

Other sources of information about Ocimum gratissimum subsp. gratissimum var. gratissimum:

Our websites:

Flora of Caprivi: Ocimum gratissimum subsp. gratissimum var. gratissimum
Flora of Malawi: Ocimum gratissimum subsp. gratissimum var. gratissimum
Flora of Mozambique: Ocimum gratissimum subsp. gratissimum var. gratissimum
Flora of Zambia: Ocimum gratissimum subsp. gratissimum var. gratissimum
Flora of Zimbabwe: Ocimum gratissimum subsp. gratissimum var. gratissimum

External websites:

African Plants: A Photo Guide (Senckenberg): Ocimum gratissimum
African Plant Database: Ocimum gratissimum
BHL (Biodiversity Heritage Library): Ocimum gratissimum
EOL (Encyclopedia of Life): Ocimum gratissimum
GBIF (Global Biodiversity Information Facility): Ocimum gratissimum
Google: Web - Images - Scholar
iNaturalist: Ocimum gratissimum
IPNI (International Plant Names Index): Ocimum gratissimum
JSTOR Plant Science: Ocimum gratissimum
Mansfeld World Database of Agricultural and Horticultural Crops: Ocimum gratissimum
Plants of the World Online: Ocimum gratissimum
Tropicos: Ocimum gratissimum
Wikipedia: Ocimum gratissimum


Copyright: Mark Hyde, Bart Wursten, Petra Ballings and Meg Coates Palgrave, 2014-24

Hyde, M.A., Wursten, B.T., Ballings, P. & Coates Palgrave, M. (2024). Flora of Botswana: Species information: Ocimum gratissimum subsp. gratissimum var. gratissimum.
https://www.botswanaflora.com/speciesdata/species.php?species_id=150360, retrieved 28 March 2024

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