7366.000 Ocimum L.

Herbs or soft small shrubs. Leaves opposite, simple, petiolate. Inflorescence a terminal spike-like raceme. Flowers in 6-flowered whorls, bracts much smaller than the leaves. Calyx 2-lipped, 5-toothed, tube short, upper tooth much larger than the rest, broadly ovate to subrotund, 2 lateral teeth small, subulate, 2 lower teeth fused, forming an oblong emarginate or 2-toothed lip. Corolla 2-lipped, mauve to whitish, upper lip 4-lobed with ± equal lobes, lower lip spreading, concave. Stamens 4, shortly exserted. Style exserted, 2-lobed.

The definition of this genus is not clear to us after the merging with Becium. This description is therefore provisional

Worldwide: 150 species in warm temperate and tropical regions, especially Africa

Malawi: 9 taxa.