Ocimum gratissimum (Clove Basil)

Native to tropical and subtropical Africa, Asia and the western Pacific, this aromatic perennial herb or shrub has branching stems that become woody at the base. Plants reach about three to ten feet tall. Oval, toothed leaves accompany spikes of tiny greenish-white to pale yellow flowers. The leaves are used to flavour food and make tea. Their essential oil varies among plants; clove-scented forms yield eugenol, a substitute for clove oil. It is also grown as a hedge and has become naturalized in Brazil. Photographed in Bogotá, Colombia.