Ocimum × africanum Lour.

Suddee, S., A. J. Paton, & Parnell, J. (2005). Taxonomic Revision of Tribe Ocimeae Dumort. (Lamiaceae) in Continental South East Asia III. Ociminae. Kew Bulletin, 60(1), 3-75. Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org/stable/4110885

Type

South Vietnam. (not found, no specimen at P or BM). Neotype: [Vietnam] Cochinchine, Talmy 76 (Neotype, K; isoneotype, P).

Morphology General Habit

Aromatic, annual or short lived perennial herbs, 10- 50 cm tall

Morphology Stem

Stems round-quadrangular, densely pubescent with spreading and sometimes retrorse hairs, much longer at nodes

Morphology Leaves

Leaves elliptic, lanceolate, ovate-lanceolate or ovate-oblong, 5 - 35 x 5 - 20 mm, apex acute, base cuneate or obtuse, margin entire or sparsely and shallowly serrate, glandular-punctate, glabrous above, pubescent on veins beneath or pubescent on both sides with longer hairs on midrib and lateral veins beneath; petiole 2 - 20 mm long, slender, pubescent with long patent hairs

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Inflorescence lax, verticils up to 10 mm apart, axis densely pubescent with retrose hairs; bracts ovate, to 5 mm long, apex acute or acuminate, base attenuate, margin pilose, glandular-punctate; pedicels recurved, 1 - 2.5 mm long, shorter than fruiting calyx, finely patent-pubescent

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Calyx campanulate, 1.5 - 2.5 mm long at anthesis, 4 - 5.5 mm long in fruit; posterior lip rounded, decurrent on tube, slightly accrescent, sometimes apiculate at apex; anterior lip with 2 median lanceolate, acuminate teeth, longer than posterior, lateral teeth broad deltoid, acute, almost equal to posterior; throat open; tube with or without sessile glands outside, with a ring of dense villous hairs at throat and glabrous base inside

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Corolla white or light purple, 4 - 5.5 mm long; lobes entire, villous on back, with or without sessile glands; posterior lip with 2 median oblong lobes and 2 lateral obovate-oblong lobes; anterior lip boat shaped, oblong or ovate- oblong in outline; tube straight, glabrous on both sides

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens

Stamens with posterior having a glabrous tranverse process near base

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Nutlets black, narrowly oblong, 1 - 1.5 mm long, minutely tuberculate, producing mucilage when wet.

Ecology

Cultivated.

Phenology

Flowering and fruiting January - December.

Distribution

Tropical Africa, America and Asia, widely cultivated.

Vernacular

Cambodian: Chy, Ci Prohae, Chi Kra Chi, Thoo Kay. Laotian: I Tou, Phak I Tou. Thai: Mang Lak, Maeng Lak (Central); Kum Kaw, Komko Khaao (Northern). Vietnamese: Cien Thue, Cay Hat- Huong, Cay Ich Gioi, E Trang, Hung Que.

Note

This species is of hybrid origin, derived from a cross between Ocimum americanum and O. basilicum (Paton & Putievsky 1996). It freely hybridises with O. basilicum in cultivation and intermediates are not uncommon.

Use

In Cambodia and Thailand, the nutlets, which produce mucilage when wet, are used for making soup or a sweet desert (Matin 230, P; Kerr 4463 BM, K). The fresh leaves are the main side dish for the traditional Thai rice noodle dish called 'Khanom Chean'.