Ocimum centraliafricanum
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Asterids
Order: Lamiales
Family: Lamiaceae
Genus: Ocimum
Species:
O. centraliafricanum
Binomial name
Ocimum centraliafricanum
Synonyms

Becium homblei (De Wild) Duvign. & Plancke

Ocimum centraliafricanum, the copper flower or copper plant, is a perennial herb found in central Africa (DRC, Tanzania, Zambia, Zimbabwe).[1] It is well known for its tolerance of high levels of copper in the soil, and is even used by geologists prospecting for precious metals.[2]

Description

It is able to tolerate soils with copper concentrations of up to 15,000 ppm, and soils with nickel concentrations of almost 5000 ppm.[3]

References

  1. ^ Kew World Checklist of Selected Plant Families
  2. ^ John W. Miller (3 March 2013). "Mining firms discover old-timers can be worth their weight in gold". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 5 March 2013.
  3. ^ Howard-Williams, C. (1970). "The ecology of Becium homblei in Central Africa with special reference to metalliferous soils". Journal of Ecology. 58 (3): 745–763. doi:10.2307/2258533. JSTOR 2258533.


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