Ocimum centraliafricanum
| Ocimum centraliafricanum | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| (unranked): | Angiosperms |
| (unranked): | Eudicots |
| (unranked): | Asterids |
| Order: | Lamiales |
| Family: | Lamiaceae |
| Genus: | Ocimum |
| Species: | O. centraliafricanum |
| Binomial name | |
| Ocimum centraliafricanum R.E.Fr | |
| 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
- ↑ Kew World Checklist of Selected Plant Families
- ↑ 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.
- ↑ 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.
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