GRIP

GRIP



Taxon:  Ocimum basilicum L.



Summary
Genus:
Ocimum
Family:
Lamiaceae (alt. Labiatae)
Subfamily:
Nepetoideae
Tribe:
Ocimeae
Subtribe:
Ociminae
Nomen number:
25478
Place of publication:
Sp. pl. 2:597. 1753
Verified:
01/23/1992 ARS Systematic Botanists.
Accessions:
1 (1  active, 0  available) in National Plant Germplasm System.  (Map it)
Other conspecific taxa
Autonyms (not in current use), synonyms and invalid designations
Autonym(s)
Ocimum basilicum L. var. basilicum

Heterotypic Synonym(s)
Ocimum basilicum L. var. album (L.) Benth.
Ocimum basilicum L. var. difforme Benth.
Ocimum basilicum L. var. glabratum Benth.
Ocimum basilicum L. var. majus Benth.
Ocimum basilicum L. var. purpurescens Benth.
Ocimum basilicum L. var. thyrsiflorum (L.) Benth.
Ocimum ciliatum Hornem.
Ocimum thyrsiflorum L.
No images


Reference(s)
  1. Aldén, B., S. Ryman, & M. Hjertson. 2012. Svensk Kulturväxtdatabas, SKUD (Swedish Cultivated and Utility Plants Database; online resource) www.skud.info
  2. Bisset, N. G., ed. 1994. Herbal drugs and phytopharmaceuticals. A handbook for practice on a scientific basis CRC Press, Boca Raton, Florida. Note: translation of German edition by M. Wichtl, ed.
  3. Carović-Stanko, K. et al. 2011. Molecular and chemical characterization of the most widespread Ocimum species. Pl. Syst. Evol. 294:253-262. Note: this work comments that this is one of three taxa commonly used as source of essential oil and as a pot herb
  4. Craker, L. E. & J. E. Simon, eds. 1986-1987. Herbs, spices, and medicinal plants, 2 vols.
  5. Davis, P. H., ed. 1965-1988. Flora of Turkey and the east Aegean islands.
  6. Duke, J. A. et al. 2002. CRC Handbook of medicinal herbs
  7. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). 2010. Ecocrop (on-line resource).
  8. Huxley, A., ed. 1992. The new Royal Horticultural Society dictionary of gardening
  9. Lawrence, B. M. 1992. Chemical components of Labiatae oils and their exploitation. Advances in labiate science 400, 406-408.
  10. Leung, A. Y. & S. Foster. 1996. Encyclopedia of common natural ingredients used in food, drugs, and cosmetics, ed. 2
  11. Liberty Hyde Bailey Hortorium. 1976. Hortus third.
  12. Markle, G. M. et al., eds. 1998. Food and feed crops of the United States, ed. 2
  13. McGuffin, M., J. T. Kartesz, A. Y. Leung, & A. O. Tucker. 2000. Herbs of commerce, ed. 2 American Herbal Products Association, Silver Spring, Maryland.
  14. Migahid, A. M. 1988-1990. Flora of Saudi Arabia, ed. 3.
  15. Nasir, E. & S. I. Ali, eds. 1970-. Flora of [West] Pakistan.
  16. Paton, A. & E. Putievsky. 1996. Taxonomic problems and cytotaxonomic relationships between and within varieties of Ocimum basilicum and related species (Labiatae). Kew Bull. 51:513.
  17. Paton, A. 1992. A synopsis of Ocimum L. (Labiatae) in Africa. Kew Bull. 47:423.
  18. Personal Care Products Council. INCI
  19. Pignatti, S. 1982. Flora d'Italia.
  20. Porcher, M. H. et al. Searchable World Wide Web Multilingual Multiscript Plant Name Database (MMPND) (on-line resource).
  21. Rechinger, K. H., ed. 1963-. Flora iranica.
  22. Rehm, S. 1994. Multilingual dictionary of agronomic plants
  23. Ryding, O. 1994. Notes on the sweet basil and its wild relatives (Lamiaceae). Econ. Bot. 48:65-67.
  24. Steenis, C. G. G. J. van, ed. 1948-. Flora malesiana.
  25. Vieira, R. F. et al. 2003. Genetic diversity of basil (Ocimum spp.) based on RAPD markers. J. Amer. Soc. Hort. Sci. 128:94-99. Note: this study examined 37 accessions representing nine species including Ocimum basilicum, and all three subsections of the genus
  26. Walker, E. 1976. Flora of Okinawa and the southern Ryukyu Islands.
  27. Wu Zheng-yi & P. H. Raven et al., eds. 1994-. Flora of China (English edition).
Common names
English
basil –
sweet basil –
Arabic
reihan –
French
basilic –
German
Basilienkraut –
Basilikum –
Italian
basilico –
Japanese Rōmaji
me-bōki –
Portuguese
alfavaca –
manjericão –
Spanish
albahaca –
Swedish
basilika –
Transcribed Chinese
luo le –
Distribution
order_codeStatusContinentSubcontinentCountryStateNote
2Cultivated    widely cult.
6Other    possible origin Africa
Cultivated (widely cult.)
Other (possible origin Africa)
Economic Uses
UsageTypeNoteReference
Food additivesflavoringspiceLeung, A. Y. & S. Foster. 1996. Encyclopedia of common natural ingredients used in food, drugs, and cosmetics, ed. 2
Materialsessential oils Lawrence, B. M. 1992. Chemical components of Labiatae oils and their exploitation. Advances in labiate science 400, 406-408.
Medicinesfolklore Duke, J. A. et al. 2002. CRC Handbook of medicinal herbs
Medicinesfolklore McGuffin, M., J. T. Kartesz, A. Y. Leung, & A. O. Tucker. 2000. Herbs of commerce, ed. 2 American Herbal Products Association, Silver Spring, Maryland.
Cite as: USDA, Agricultural Research Service, National Plant Germplasm System. 2025. Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN Taxonomy). National Germplasm Resources Laboratory, Beltsville, Maryland.
URL: https://grip.mawarid.gov.om/gringlobal/taxon/taxonomydetail?id=25478. Accessed 26 April 2025.