Comparative reproduction mechanisms of three species of Ocimum L. (Lamiaceae)
<em>Ocimum</em> species have a combination of reproductive system which varies with the locality and cultivar. We have studied here the reproductive mechanisms of five variants of three <em>Ocimum</em> species in Nigeria, namely: <em>Ocimum canum</em> Sims., <em>O. basilicum</em> L., and <em>O. americanum</em> L. Flowers from each variant were subjected to open and bagged pollination treatments of hand self-pollination, spontaneous self-pollination and emasculation. All open treatments of the five <em>Ocimum</em> variants produced more fruit and seed than the corresponding bagged treatments. The two <em>O. canum</em> variants and <em>O. basilicum</em> ‘b<span><sub>1</sub></span>’ produced high fruit and seed set in the open and bagged treatments of spontaneous self-pollination. <em>Ocimum basilicum</em> ‘b<span><sub>2</sub></span>’ and <em>O. americanum</em> produced higher fruit and seed set in the self-pollination open treatment but significantly lower fruit and seed set in the bagged treatment. Fewer fruit and seeds were produced in the emasculated open treatments but none in the emasculated bagged treatments of the five <em>Ocimum</em> variants. The floral foragers comprising of bees, wasps and butterflies visited the <em>Ocimum</em> species to collect pollen or nectar in the open treatments. The two <em>O. canum</em> variants and <em>O. basilicum</em> ‘b<span><sub>1</sub></span>’ variant reproduced mainly through autogamy but <em>O. basilicum</em> ‘b<span><sub>2</sub></span>’ and <em>O. americanum</em> showed mixed reproduction of autogamy and outcrosssing. Insect visitation to the flowers enhanced pollination resulting in higher fruit and seed set in all the <em>Ocimum</em> species studied.