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Ocimum americanum L.

Lime basil (en)

Species

Angiosperms > Lamiales > Lamiaceae > Ocimum

Characteristics

Herbs annual, 20-30(-60) cm tall. Stems erect, retrorse puberulent, nodes bristly, much branched from stem base. Petiole 5-12 mm, puberulent and pilose; leaf blade ovate, 1-1.7 cm × 5-10 mm, puberulent, glandular, base cuneate, margin serrulate to subentire, ciliate, apex acute, lateral veins 4-or 5-paired. Racemes numerous, crowded, erect, 10-14 cm, pedunculate, retrorse puberulent; verticillasters separate, 6-flowered; bracts oblong, ca. 4 mm, base attentuate, margin bristly, apex attenuate. Pedicel ca. 1.5 mm, conspicuously recurved in fruit. Calyx campanulate, ca. 2 × 1 mm, puberulent near base, throat densely puberulent, tube ca. 1.5 mm; middle tooth of upper lip circular, lateral teeth shorter, triangular; lower lip teeth ovate-lanceolate, apex awned, longer than upper lip, ciliate; fruiting calyx ca. 4 mm, conspicuously 10-veined. Corolla straight, 1.5-2 × as long as calyx, limb sparsely puberulent, glabrous inside; tube conspicuously exserted, obconical; lower lip oblong, concave, margin entire. Stamens free, ca. 2 × as long as corolla. Nutlets black, ovoid, ca. 1.5 × 0.6 mm, finely dotted.
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0.5-1 cm long. Inflorescences verticils, ca 6-flowered, 1-1.5 cm distant, the false raceme to 17 cm long, the bracts elliptic, ca 3.5-4.5 mm long, the margins pubescent. Flowers with pedicels ca 2-2.5 mm long; bracteoles not apparent; calyx 4-5 long at maturity, pubescent within and without at the base, the hairs ca 2 mm long, the upper lip rounded and acutely tipped, 3-veined, the decurrent margins extending almost to the base, the lower lip 5-7-veined, the lateral teeth wider; corolla tubular, white to yellow-green, the tube ca 2-3 mm long, the lips ca 1-1.5 mm long, the lower lip ? concave; stamens exserted, the lower pair with a small appendage at the base of the filament, the anthers ca 0.6 mm long; ovary 4-lobed, the gynobase lobed, the style bifid near the tip, the branches + equal. Nutlets (3-)4, oblong, ca 1.2 mm long, black, the pericarp ? warty.
Branched, erect herb, 0.30-1 m, strongly smelling of camphor. Stem and branches striate, pubescent or glabrescent. Leaves lanceolate to elliptic, 2.5-5 by 0.9-2.5 cm, acute, base cuneate, margin entire or remotely crenulate, glabrous and glandular-dotted on both surfaces; petiole 1-2.5 cm. Verticillasters in terminal, simple or branched, raceme-like inflorescences, 7-15 cm long. Bracts elliptic-lanceolate, 2-3(-5) mm long, acuminate, hairy. Flowers subsessile. Calyx 2-2.5 mrn long, in fruit 3-4.5 mm, villous within, pubescent with long, white hairs outside; uppermost tooth broad and rounded, ciliate,; lower teeth lanceolate-subulate. Corolla white, 4-6 mm long, glabrescent or puberulous. Filaments exserted, slender, upper ones toothed above the base. Nutlets narrowly ellipsoid, 1.2 mm long, punctate, black, swelling in water.
A herb. It grows each year from seed. It grows 20-30 cm high. The stems are erect and hairy. There are many branches. The leaf stalk is 5-12 mm long and hairy. The leaf blade is oval and 1-1.7 cm long by 5-10 mm wide. The base is wedge shaped and the edges can have teeth. There are 4-5 pairs of side veins. The flowering stalks are crowded and 10-14 cm long.
Herbs, annuals, to 40 cm, pubescent with uniseriate curled hairs. Leaves elliptic, acute, subentire, the bases obtuse, to ca 3 cm long and 1 cm wide, sparingly pubescent above, more so on the veins beneath, resin-dotted; petioles ca
Life form
Growth form herb
Growth support free-standing
Foliage retention deciduous
Sexuality hermaphrodite
Pollination -
Spread -
Mature width (meter) 0.1 - 0.5
Mature height (meter) 0.3 - 0.5
Root system -
Rooting depth (meter) 1.5
Root diameter (meter) -
Flower color
Blooming months -
Fruit color -
Fruiting months -
Nitrogen fixer -
Photosynthetic pathway -

Environment

In Java cultivated in kitchen gardens, widely naturalized, along roadsides, in fields and humas, also in teak forest, open waste places in settled areas, up to c. 500 m. Fl. Jan.-Dec. Galls on young stems are caused by aphids.
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Roadsides, in fields, in teak forests, and in open waste places, preferring sunny, wind-sheltered spots. It is found at elevations from sea level, usually to 500 metres but occasionally to 2,000 metres.
A tropical plant.
Light 7-9
Soil humidity -
Soil texture -
Soil acidity 2-8
Soil nutriment -
Hardiness (USDA) 11-12

Usage

Uses. Eaten raw as a side-dish, also an important ingredient for curries and sayor. Nutlets taken with cool sweet drinks under the names of tjao, M, tjingtjao, S, dawet, J. Leaves are also used in flavouring dishes with a fishy or disagreeable smell.HARTLEY ( HARTLEY Lloydia 32 1969 272 ) listed this species as a potential medicine against cancer. BURKILL ( BURKILL Dict. 1935 1574 ) stated that pounded leaves are in Malaya placed on the forehead against catarrh and that a decoction is used for coughs.
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The seeds are soaked overnight as the base for a cooling drink. They are also eaten raw. The leaves are made into a paste with spices and eaten raw. They are also used in chutney. They can be dried for later use. The seeds are mixed with other grains to make bread. The flowers are used as a flavouring.
Uses animal food environmental use essential oil food food additive gene source invertebrate food material medicinal non-vertebrate poison poison social use spice vertebrate poison
Edible flowers leaves roots seeds shoots
Therapeutic use Anti-bacterial agents (aerial part), Anticoagulants (aerial part), Antifungal agents (aerial part), Malaria (aerial part), Malaria (bark), Anticonvulsants (flower), Antipyretics (flower), Antitussive agents (flower), Common cold (flower), Expectorants (flower), Lice infestations (flower), Nausea (flower), Parasympatholytics (flower), Scabies (flower), Skin diseases (flower), Analgesics (leaf), Anorexia (leaf), Anthelmintics (leaf), Anti-bacterial agents (leaf), Anticonvulsants (leaf), Antifungal agents (leaf), Antioxidants (leaf), Antiparasitic agents (leaf), Antipruritics (leaf), Antipyretics (leaf), Antitussive agents (leaf), Antiviral agents (leaf), Appetite stimulants (leaf), Asthma (leaf), Bites and stings (leaf), Bronchitis (leaf), Cardiotonic agents (leaf), Cholera (leaf), Common cold (leaf), Conjunctivitis (leaf), Contraceptive agents (leaf), Diabetes mellitus (leaf), Diarrhea (leaf), Digestive system diseases (leaf), Diuretics (leaf), Dysentery (leaf), Dyspepsia (leaf), Ear diseases (leaf), Earache (leaf), Exanthema (leaf), Expectorants (leaf), Fever (leaf), Flatulence (leaf), Furunculosis (leaf), Gastrointestinal diseases (leaf), Hearing disorders (leaf), Helminthiasis (leaf), Hemoptysis (leaf), Hemorrhoids (leaf), Hyperglycemia (leaf), Hysteria (leaf), Infection (leaf), Inflammation (leaf), Insect bites and stings (leaf), Insect repellents (leaf), Laxatives (leaf), Leprosy (leaf), Lice infestations (leaf), Lipid peroxidation (leaf), Malaria (leaf), Migraine disorders (leaf), Parasympatholytics (leaf), Anti-poisoning (leaf), General tonic for rejuvenation (leaf), Scabies (leaf), Scorpion stings (leaf), Skin diseases (leaf), Skin diseases, infectious (leaf), Stomach diseases (leaf), Stomatitis, aphthous (leaf), Taste disorders (leaf), Toothache (leaf), Urination disorders (leaf), Vomiting (leaf), Wound healing (leaf), Cooling effect on body (leaf), Diarrhea (rhizome), Antipyretics (root), Antitussive agents (root), Appetite stimulants (root), Bites and stings (root), Common cold (root), Diarrhea (root), Dyspepsia (root), Gastrointestinal diseases (root), Jaundice (root), Parasympatholytics (root), Snake bites (root), Amenorrhea (seed), Antipyretics (seed), Antirheumatic agents (seed), Aphrodisiacs (seed), Asthma (seed), Chest pain (seed), Common cold (seed), Contraceptive agents (seed), Diabetes mellitus (seed), Diarrhea (seed), Emaciation (seed), Expectorants (seed), Eye drops (seed), Hemostasis (seed), Hypoglycemic agents (seed), Inflammation (seed), Jaundice (seed), Leprosy (seed), Leukorrhea (seed), Lung diseases (seed), Malaria (seed), Migraine disorders (seed), Parasympatholytics (seed), General tonic for rejuvenation (seed), Skin diseases (seed), Skin diseases, infectious (seed), Thirst (seed), Urinary tract infections (seed), Urination disorders (seed), Urologic diseases (seed), Vitiligo (seed), Cooling effect on body (seed), Antipyretics (shoot), Digestive system diseases (shoot), Expectorants (shoot), Insect repellents (shoot), Parasympatholytics (shoot), Pharyngitis (shoot), General tonic for rejuvenation (shoot), Antitussive agents (stem), Diarrhea (stem), Insect repellents (stem), Lung diseases (stem), Bite(Dog) (unspecified), Bite(Snake) (unspecified), Catarrh (unspecified), Cholera (unspecified), Convulsion (unspecified), Dysentery (unspecified), Parasiticide (unspecified), Rabies (unspecified), Skin (unspecified), Ardor (unspecified), Cough (unspecified), Spasm (unspecified), Headache (unspecified), Fever (unspecified), Bronchitis (unspecified), Carminative (unspecified), Cold (unspecified), Diarrhea (unspecified), Diuretic (unspecified), Dyspepsia (unspecified), Inhalant (unspecified), Repellant(Insect) (unspecified), Stimulant (unspecified), Stomach (unspecified), Toothache (unspecified), Tuberculosis (unspecified), Tumor (unspecified), Diaphoretic (unspecified), Antiseptic (unspecified), Bactericide (unspecified), Refrigerant (unspecified), Respiratory (unspecified), Tonic (unspecified), Analgesics (unspecified), Anti-bacterial agents (unspecified), Anticoagulants (unspecified), Anticonvulsants (unspecified), Antioxidants (unspecified), Antipyretics (unspecified), Antitussive agents (unspecified), Bites and stings (unspecified), Bronchial diseases (unspecified), Common cold (unspecified), Diabetes mellitus (unspecified), Diuretics (unspecified), Flatulence (unspecified), Insect repellents (unspecified), Jaundice (unspecified), Lice infestations (unspecified), Mouthwashes (unspecified), Muscle cramp (unspecified), Parasympatholytics (unspecified), Pharyngitis (unspecified), General tonic for rejuvenation (unspecified), Skin diseases (unspecified), Snake bites (unspecified), Wound healing (unspecified), Antifungal agents (whole plant), Antinematodal agents (whole plant), Antipyretics (whole plant), Bronchitis (whole plant), Common cold (whole plant), Condiments (whole plant), Dyspepsia (whole plant), Flatulence (whole plant), Hypoglycemic agents (whole plant), Leukorrhea (whole plant), General tonic for rejuvenation (whole plant), Skin diseases (whole plant), Urogenital system (whole plant), Diaphoretic (whole plant)
Human toxicity -
Animal toxicity -

Cultivation

Plants can be grown from seeds.
Mode seedlings
Germination duration (days) 5 - 10
Germination temperacture (C°) 17 - 18
Germination luminosity light
Germination treatment -
Minimum temperature (C°) -
Optimum temperature (C°) 22 - 30
Size -
Vigor -
Productivity -

Images

Habit

Ocimum americanum habit picture by susan brown (cc-by-sa)
Ocimum americanum habit picture by susan brown (cc-by-sa)
Ocimum americanum habit picture by susan brown (cc-by-sa)

Leaf

Ocimum americanum leaf picture by susan brown (cc-by-sa)
Ocimum americanum leaf picture by ALI-BEN HAMIDOU (cc-by-sa)
Ocimum americanum leaf picture by ALI-BEN HAMIDOU (cc-by-sa)

Flower

Ocimum americanum flower picture by susan brown (cc-by-sa)
Ocimum americanum flower picture by ALI-BEN HAMIDOU (cc-by-sa)
Ocimum americanum flower picture by susan brown (cc-by-sa)

Fruit

Ocimum americanum fruit picture by Muhammad Ahmad Bakari (cc-by-sa)

Distribution

Ocimum americanum world distribution map, present in Angola, Andorra, Benin, Bangladesh, Bolivia (Plurinational State of), Brazil, Botswana, Central African Republic, China, Congo, Comoros, Cabo Verde, Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gabon, Ghana, Guinea, Gambia, Guinea-Bissau, Honduras, Indonesia, India, Kenya, Liberia, Lesotho, Madagascar, Mali, Myanmar, Mozambique, Mauritania, Namibia, Nigeria, Nicaragua, Nepal, Pakistan, Panama, Peru, Philippines, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Sudan, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, eSwatini, Chad, Togo, Thailand, Tanzania, United Republic of, Uganda, Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of), Viet Nam, South Africa, Zambia, and Zimbabwe

Identifiers

LSID urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:316218-2
WFO ID wfo-0000253211
COL ID 48GB3
BDTFX ID 44332
INPN ID 109795
Wikipedia (EN) Link
Wikipedia (FR) Link

Synonyms

Ocimum canum Ocimum fluminense Ocimum incanescens Ocimum thymoides Ocimum brachiatum Ocimum fruticulosum Ocimum hispidulum Ocimum stamineum Ocimum dichotomum Ocimum album Ocimum dinteri Ocimum serpyllifolium var. glabrior Becium obovatum var. glabrior Ocimum canum var. integrifolium Ocimum americanum var. americanum Ocimum americanum
WorldFloraDB 2024