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Floristic Inventory of the Florida Keys Database Online

Ocimum campechianum Mill.
Wild basil, Wild sweet basil

Ocimum campechianum
Copyright by: Roger L. Hammer

Family: Lamiaceae

Group: Dicot

Substrate: Terrestrial

Habit: Herb

Perennation: Annual

Native Range: South Florida, the West Indies, Mexico, Central America and South America.

State of Florida Status: Endangered

IRC SOUTH FLORIDA Status: Imperiled

Map of select IRC data for peninsular Florida

SOUTH FLORIDA Occurrence: Present

SOUTH FLORIDA Native Status: Native

South Florida History and Distribution: This is very rare in South Florida and known only from a few widely scattered populations. Using modern NatureServe criteria, we verified the rank of this as Imperiled in South Florida in June, 2018.

SOUTH FLORIDA Cultivated Status: Cultivated

Comments: For more images, click on the Atlas of Florida Vascular Plants link below. Visit our Natives For Your Neighborhood website for more information and images.

Synonyms: O. micranthum.

FLORIDA KEYS Occurrence: Present

FLORIDA KEYS Native Status: Native

IRC FLORIDA KEYS Status: Critically Imperiled

Map of select IRC data for the Florida Keys

Florida Keys History and Distribution: Reported in 1913 by John Kunkel Small for hammocks and low pinelands from the upper Keys to the lower Keys, however we only have records from Key West and Big Pine Key and one report from Sugarloaf Key in the lower Keys.  We consider this native and extant only in the lower Keys.

Other data on Ocimum campechianum available from :


Ocimum campechianum has been reported from the following conservation area in the FLORIDA KEYS :
Occurrence Native Status
National Key Deer Refuge Present Native




Ocimum campechianum has been reported for the following 3 habitats in THE FLORIDA KEYS :
Disturbed Upland
Pine Rockland
Rockland Hammock


All Images:

Ocimum campechianum
Copyright by: Roger L. Hammer