hairy basil

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• American basil
• hoary basil
• Lime Basil

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Ocimum thymoides
• Ocimum stamineum
• Ocimum canum
• Ocimum canum var. integrifolium
• Becium obovatum var. glabrior
• Ocimum fruticulosum
• Ocimum fluminense
• Ocimum dichotomum
• Ocimum dinteri
• Ocimum brachiatum
• Ocimum serpyllifolium var. glabrius
• Ocimum incanescens
• Ocimum hispidulum

Regional and Traditional Names

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta within the class Equisetopsida. As a member of the subclass Magnoliidae and the order Lamiales, it is further classified under the family Lamiaceae. Finally, its specific taxonomic designation falls under the genus Ocimum.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant exhibits a specific geographical distribution across several distinct regions. In the Macaronesia region, it can be found located in Cape Verde. Its presence extends significantly into West Tropical Africa, where it inhabits various nations. Specifically, it is documented in countries such as Benin, Burkina, and Gambia. Furthermore, the species is also widely distributed within Ghana.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Ocimum americanum is characterized by a broad altitudinal distribution, spanning from sea level up to a maximum elevation of 1400 m AMSL. This species demonstrates significant adaptability to diverse environmental settings, commonly thriving within anthropogenic areas (Área Antrópica) as well as the semi-arid Caatinga (stricto sensu) biome. Its ability to colonize both disturbed human-influenced landscapes and native dry forest ecosystems highlights its ecological plasticity across varying topographic and climatic gradients.

Elevational range max:

1400 m AMSL

Elevational range min:

0 m AMSL

Habitat :

Área Antrópica, Caatinga (stricto sensu)

Life history

The life history of Ocimum americanum is characterized by a complex ecological strategy that allows it to adapt to varying environmental conditions. It functions primarily as a perennial species, exhibiting a variable lifecycle that can manifest as an annual or biennial depending on the stability and resource availability of its habitat. In terms of its structural growth and survival strategies, the plant displays dual life form characteristics: it is classified as a therophyte, relying on ephemeral seasonal growth and seed production to persist through unfavorable periods, while also exhibiting a chamaephyte habit, where its perennating buds are located close to the soil surface. This combination of life forms enables the plant to maintain resilience across diverse climatic shifts.

Life form :

chamaephyte

Life form :

therophyte

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Ocimum americanum is characterized by its growth form as a non-woody herb. It is a self-supporting plant that does not function as a climber or a vine, nor does it exhibit any parasitic behavior, growing instead as an independent organism. The species is strictly terrestrial, lacking aquatic or epiphytic tendencies. In terms of stature, the plant exhibits variable height, typically ranging from a minimum of 0.15 m to a maximum of 1 m, with an average plant height of approximately 0.45 m.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

herb

Parasite :

independent

Plant height max:

1 m

Plant height mean:

0.45 m

Plant height min:

0.15 m

Woodiness :

non-woody

Physiology

The physiology of Ocimum americanum is characterized by a complex metabolic framework centered on the production of secondary metabolites, particularly essential oils composed of terpenoids and phenylpropanoids, which are synthesized via the mevalonate and shikimate pathways. Photosynthetic processes drive the accumulation of biomass through efficient carbon fixation, supporting the development of glandular trichomes on the leaves where volatile organic compounds are sequestered. In terms of nutrient cycling and soil interactions, the plant does not exhibit the specialized symbiotic relationships required for atmospheric nitrogen assimilation; specifically, it is not a nitrogen fixer (trait_1: no). Its nutritional requirements are met through the uptake of inorganic nitrogen, such as nitrates and ammonium, from the soil substrate via the root system. The plant's physiological resilience is further marked by its transpiration rates and stomatal conductance, which regulate water use efficiency and facilitate gas exchange necessary for maintaining its metabolic vigor in various environmental conditions.

Nitrogen fixer :

no

Reproduction

The reproduction of Ocimum americanum is primarily achieved through the production of small, specialized seeds that facilitate its dispersal and subsequent germination. These seeds exhibit significant morphological variability in terms of weight, which is a critical factor in their reproductive success and ability to colonize new environments. Detailed analysis of the seed mass reveals a mean weight of approximately 0.000780606 g. However, there is a notable range within the population, with individual seed masses spanning from a minimum of 0.00032 g to a maximum of 0.00147 g. This variation in seed mass suggests a diverse reproductive strategy, potentially allowing the plant to optimize resource allocation between seed number and individual seed size to ensure survival across varying ecological conditions.

Seed mass max:

0.00147 g

Seed mass mean:

0.000780606 g

Seed mass min:

0.00032 g

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Plant Parts

Ocimum americanum has 4 reported plant parts identified across 9 scientific publications and several other databases that are studied for medicinal purposes. The most consistently reported plant part include leaf, stem, flower, root.

Leaf

1. Natural product research
2. Parasitology research
3. Pharmaceutisch weekblad. Scientific edition
4. Journal of ethnopharmacology
5. Asian Pacific journal of tropical medicine

Stem

1. Natural product research
2. Asian Pacific journal of tropical medicine

Flower

1. Asian Pacific journal of tropical medicine

Root

1. Asian Pacific journal of tropical medicine

Chemicals

Ocimum americanum has 65 reported phytochemicals identified across 9 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include Flavonoids, camphor, 1,8-Cineole, CHLOROFORM, Caryophyllene.

Flavonoids

1. TheScientificWorldJournal
2. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
3. Asian Pacific journal of tropical medicine

camphor

1. Dr. Duke
2. Pharmaceutisch weekblad. Scientific edition
3. BMC complementary medicine and therapies

1,8-Cineole

1. Dr. Duke
2. Parasite (Paris, France)

CHLOROFORM

1. Parasitology research
2. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)

Caryophyllene

1. Dr. Duke
2. BMC complementary medicine and therapies

Citral

1. Dr. Duke
2. Pharmaceutisch weekblad. Scientific edition

ETHYL ACETATE

1. Parasitology research
2. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)

Glycosides

1. TheScientificWorldJournal
2. Asian Pacific journal of tropical medicine

Linalool

1. Journal of food science
2. Pharmaceutisch weekblad. Scientific edition

Methyl cinnamate

1. Dr. Duke
2. Pharmaceutisch weekblad. Scientific edition

Activities

Ocimum americanum has 275 reported activities identified across 9 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antibacterial, Analgesic, Antifeedant, Antioxidant, Diuretic.

Antibacterial

1. Dr. Duke
2. Journal of food science
3. Cell biochemistry and function
4. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Analgesic

1. Dr. Duke
2. TheScientificWorldJournal

Antifeedant

1. Dr. Duke
2. Parasitology research

Antioxidant

1. Dr. Duke
2. Scientific reports

Diuretic

1. Dr. Duke
2. TheScientificWorldJournal

Hepatoprotective

1. Dr. Duke
2. Journal of evidence-based integrative medicine

(-)-Chronotropic

1. Dr. Duke

(-)-Inotropic

1. Dr. Duke

ACE-Inhibitor

1. Dr. Duke

Acaricide

1. Dr. Duke

Conditions

Ocimum americanum has 5 reported investigations on conditions identified across 9 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported conditions include antioxidant, chikungunya virus, inflammation, malaria, oxidative stress.

Antioxidant

1. BMC complementary medicine and therapies

Chikungunya virus

1. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)

Inflammation

1. Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine : eCAM

Malaria

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Oxidative stress

1. Journal of evidence-based integrative medicine

Preparations

Ocimum americanum has 16 reported preparations identified across 9 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported preparations include essential oils, Essential oils, Essential oils from the leaves, Methanol extracts, OC-12 extract.

Essential oils

1. Journal of food science
2. Parasite (Paris, France)

Essential oils

1. Phytomedicine : international journal of phytotherapy and phytopharmacology

Essential oils from the leaves

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Methanol extracts

1. Bioscience, biotechnology, and biochemistry

Oc-12 extract

1. Scientific reports

Ocimum canum oil

1. Journal of food science

Acetone leaf extracts

1. Parasitology research

Aqueous extract

1. TheScientificWorldJournal

Chloroform leaf extracts

1. Parasitology research

Ethanol

1. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)