Which inflorescence is found in Tulsi?

Tulsi (Ocimum tenuiflorum, family Lamiaceae) shows a verticillaster inflorescence. A verticillaster is a characteristic “false whorl” formed by two opposite, sessile cymes that arise in the axils of opposite leaves. To the eye, these paired cymes align up the stem and collectively look like a spike or raceme, but developmentally each apparent “whorl” is a compact pair of cymose clusters. 

Flowers are small, zygomorphic, and typically bilabiate (two-lipped) as is common in Lamiaceae. The arrangement maximizes floral density along the upper, non-leafy portion of the stem, improving pollinator visibility. 

Each unit contains short pedicels, bracts, and a reduced branching pattern so the cluster stays tight. Functionally, verticillasters provide a graduated flowering sequence from base to apex, supporting extended nectar availability and cross-pollination by bees. In Tulsi, the cumulative appearance is an elongated floral spike, but botanically it is a series of stacked verticillasters. 

This distinction matters in taxonomy: verticillaster is a diagnostic feature for many mint family members, helping separate Lamiaceae from families with true spikes or racemes. In short, while Tulsi “looks spicate,” its true inflorescence type is verticillaster—paired, axillary cymes arranged in apparent whorls along the stem.