Ocimum tenuiflorum
Ocimum tenuiflorum | |
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Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Plantae |
Clade: | Tracheophytes |
Clade: | Angiosperms |
Clade: | Eudicots |
Clade: | Asterids |
Order: | Lamiales |
Family: | Lamiaceae |
Genus: | Ocimum |
Species: | O. tenuiflorum
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Binomial name | |
Ocimum tenuiflorum L. | |
Synonyms[1] | |
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Ocimum tenuiflorum, commonly known as holy basil or tulsi, is an aromatic perennial plant in the family Lamiaceae.[2][3] It is native to tropical and subtropical regions of Australia, Malesia, Asia, and the western Pacific.[4] It is widely cultivated throughout the Southeast Asian tropics.[4][5][6] This plant has escaped from cultivation and has naturalized in many tropical regions of the Americas.[3][7] It is an agricultural and environmental weed.[3]
Tulasi is cultivated for religious and traditional medicine purposes, and also for its essential oil. It is widely used as a herbal tea, commonly used in Ayurveda, and has a place within the Vaishnava tradition of Hinduism, in which devotees perform worship involving holy basil plants or leaves.
Morphology
Holy basil is an erect, many-branched subshrub, 30–60 cm (12–24 in) tall with hairy stems. Leaves are green or purple; they are simple, petioled, with an ovate blade up to 5 cm (2 in) long, which usually has a slightly toothed margin; they are strongly scented and have a decussate phyllotaxy. The purplish flowers are placed in close whorls on elongated racemes.[6]
The three main morphotypes cultivated in India and Nepal are Ram tulsi (the most common type, with broad bright green leaves that are slightly sweet), the less common purplish green-leaved (Krishna or Shyam tulsi) and the common wild vana tulsi (e.g., Ocimum gratissimum).[8]
Phytochemicals
The plant and its oil contain diverse phytochemicals, including tannins, flavonoids, eugenol, caryophyllenes, carvacrol, linalool, camphor, and cinnamyl acetate, among others.[9][10] One study reported that the plant contains an eponymous family of 10 neolignan compounds called tulsinol A-J.[11]
Specific
Uses
Culinary
Tulasi (Sanskrit: Surasa) has been used in Ayurvedic and Siddha practices for its supposed medicinal properties.[14][15]
Thai cuisine
The leaves of holy basil, known as kaphrao in the
Insect repellent
For centuries, the dried leaves have been mixed with stored grains to repel insects.[19]
Nematicidal
The essential oil may have nematicidal properties against Tylenchulus semipenetrans, Meloidogyne javanica, Anguina tritici, and Heterodera cajani.[20]
Disinfection
Water
Significance in Hinduism
Tulasi is a sacred plant for
Every evening, Bengali Hindus place earthen lamps in front of tulsi plants. During the Kati Bihu festival celebrated in Assam, people light earthen lamps (diya) at the foot of the household tulsi plants and pray.[27]
Gallery
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Inflorescence
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Prayer beads made from tulsi wood
See also
- Sacred trees
- Sacred groves
References
- ^ "The Plant List: A Working List of All Plant Species". Retrieved 13 January 2015.
- ^ "Ocimum tenuiflorum". Germplasm Resources Information Network. Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture. Retrieved 7 July 2021.
- ^ a b c "Ocimum tenuiflorum (holy basil)". CABI Invasive Species Compendium. 23 August 2014. Retrieved 26 June 2023.
- ^ a b "Ocimum tenuiflorum L." Kew, Royal Botanic Gardens. 2023. Retrieved 26 June 2023.
- ISBN 978-0-8248-2094-7.
- ^ ISBN 978-0-86311-551-6.
- ^ "Ocimum tenuiflorum". Integrated Taxonomic Information System. 26 June 2023. Retrieved 26 June 2023.
- S2CID 95551382.
- ^ "Holy basil". Drugs.com. 1 February 2022. Retrieved 26 June 2023.
- S2CID 95225535.
- ISSN 0926-6690.
- ^ PMID 27242708.
- S2CID 205836713.
- ISBN 978-81-86623-80-0.
- ISBN 978-0-7295-8173-8.
- ISBN 9-781862-055148.
- ISBN 978-0-399-57831-1.
- ^ Gernot Katzer's Spice Pages
- ^ Biswas, N. P.; Biswas, A. K. (2005). "Evaluation of some leaf dusts as grain protectant against rice weevil Sitophilus oryzae (Linn.)". Environment and Ecology. 23 (3): 485–488.
- PMID 12147760.
- PMID 26247291.
- ^ ISBN 978-0-299-15904-7.
- ISBN 978-0-631-21535-6.
- ISBN 978-81-246-0234-8.
- ISBN 978-81-206-0523-7.
- ISBN 978-81-7035-515-1.
- ^ ANI. "Kati Bihu celebrated in Assam". BW Businessworld. Retrieved 2022-06-09.
External links
- Media related to Ocimum tenuiflorum at Wikimedia Commons