Inflorescences
terminal on slender main and lateral branches, spike-like; flowers shortly pedicellate, in usually 2-6-flowered verticils; bracts much smaller than leaves, persistent
Calyx
bilabiate, somewhat declinate, accrescent; tube campanulate, 5-toothed; upper tooth the largest, ovate, slightly decurrent, two lateral teeth lanceolate, subulate
Corolla
small, obscurely bilabiate; tube short; upper lip short and broad, 4-lobed; lower lip oblong, nearly flat, entire
Stamens
4, didynamous, declinate; filaments not kneed or crested near base; anthers 1-thecous
Nutlets
ovoid, somewhat compressed, smooth, pale brown
x = 7 (1 report) (polyploidy)
Nomenclature:
Basilicum
Moench
Moench: 143 (1802)
Morton: 238 (1962)
Codd: 217 (1985)
Moschosma
Rchb.
Reichenbach: 171 (1828)
Distribution & Notes:
Global
: Species 7, in tropical regions of the Old World
Southern Africa
: Species 1:
Basilicum polystachyon
(L.) Moench is recorded from the eastern lowveld of Mpumalanga, Swaziland and N KwaZulu-Natal
References:
CODD, L.E. 1985.
Lamiaceae
.
Flora of southern Africa
28
MOENCH, C. 1802.
Supplementum ad methodum plantas
. Nova libraria academiae, Marburg
MORTON, J.K. 1962. Cytotaxonomic studies on the West African
Labiatae
.
Journal of the Linnean Society, Botany
58
REICHENBACH, H.G.L. 1828.
Conspectus regni vegetabilis
. Cnobloch, Leipzig
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