Unusual Phyllotaxy of Sweet Genovese Basil!

[Ten20Thirty40]

Just a proud mama wanting to share some pictures and info on my unique babies.

So I have 2 basil plants from the same seed packet that both have whorled phyllotaxy instead of the typical decussate type.

One started of with 3 cotyledons and has since had 3 leaves at each node on the main stem, but it looks like only 2 leaves on the stem nodes that would branch off! I've pruned the top just to see how the main stem will grow into 3 and see what happens from there!

The second plant started with only 2 cotyledons, but it's first set of true leaves had 5!! The second set had 4!! And the third and each after has 3! Also each stem node that would branch off has 3 leaves at base as well!

I want to play around with pruning and cloning but they are both a tad too young, but once I get enough height it's game on!! I also wonder if they will produce fertile seeds carrying the same mutations?

Does anyone have any related growing stories or pictures??

(Ignore the period of yellowing they experienced, they were both underneath but are now flourishing through the kratky method)

 

[Marck]

That is an curious development. Do you know the strain or cultivar of this Basil (Ocimum basilicum)?
It will be interesting to see if you can maintain this phenomenon (mutation or developmental irregularity?), either as a vegatative clone or through selective breeding.

 

[Ten20Thirty40]

That is an curious development. Do you know the strain or cultivar of this Basil (Ocimum basilicum)?
It will be interesting to see if you can maintain this phenomenon (mutation or developmental irregularity?), either as a vegatative clone or through selective breeding.

It's "heirloom" large leaf genovese that I purchased from Amazon.
They are still too small to clone right now and one is a tad more stunted (the one producing several leaves). I'm guessing it's just using so many nutrients in leaf production that it's not growing quickly.
I planted some more seeds from the same packet and it's looks like I got another 3 leafer coming through, so I am wondering if it's a genetic mutation in the seeds?

 

[Marck]

In 2018, it happened to somebody on Reddit too.

https://www.reddit.com/r/gardening/comments/8k4uoo