Ocimum

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Ocimum

Ocimum is a genus of about 35 species of aromatic annual and perennial herbs and shrubs in the family Lamiaceae

Lamiaceae

Lamiaceae or Labiatae, also known as the mint family, is a family of plants comprising about 210 genera and some 3,500 species. It has been considered closely related to Verbenaceae but several recent phylogenetic studies have shown that numererous genera classified in Verbenaceae belong instead in Lamiaceae, whereas the core genera of...
, native to the tropical and warm temperate regions of the Old World

Old World

The Old World consists of those parts of Earth known to Europeans, Asians, and Africans in the 15th century....
.

Ocimum basilicum
Ocimum basilicum

Ocimum basilicum, or Sweet Basil, is a culinary herb of major importance. Most culinary and ornamental basils are cultivars of the species Ocimum basilicum, but other species are also grown and there are many hybrids between species....
, or Sweet Basil, is a culinary herb of major importance. Most culinary and ornamental basils are cultivars of the species Ocimum basilicum, but other species are also grown and there are many hybrids between species.

Ocimum tenuiflorum (syn.

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Encyclopedia

Ocimum is a genus of about 35 species of aromatic annual and perennial herbs and shrubs in the family Lamiaceae

Lamiaceae

Old World

India

India, officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and outlying territories by total area country by geographical area, the List of countries by population country, and the most populous liberal democracy in the world....
, used in teas, healing remedies, and cosmetics. The plant is worshipped as dear to Vishnu

Vishnu

Vishnu , , is the Supreme God in Vaishnavite tradition of Hinduism. Smarta followers of Adi Shankara, among others, venerate Vishnu as one of panchadeva, and his supreme status is declared in the Hindu sacred texts like Yajurveda, the Rigveda and the Bhagavad Gita....
in some sects of Vaishnavism

Vaishnavism

Vaishnavism is a tradition of Hinduism, distinguished from other schools by its worship of Vishnu or his associated avatars, principally as Rama and Krishna, as the original and supreme God....
. It is also used in Thai cooking.

Thai basil

Thai basil

Thai basil is a cultivar group of basil. It has a more assertive taste than many other sweet basils. The herb has small leaves, purple stems and a subtle licorice or mint flavor....
, O. basilicum var. thyrsiflora, is a common ingredient in Thai cuisine with a strong flavour similar to aniseed, used to flavour curries and stir-fries.

Ocimum americanum
Ocimum americanum

Ocimum americanum, known as hairy or hoary basil, is an annual herb with white or lavender flowers. It is commonly used in Thai cuisine and for medicinal purposes. ...
(syn. O. canum) is a native of tropical Africa

Africa

Africa is the world's second-largest and second most-populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km? including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area....
.

Ocimum × citriodorum (Lemon Basil

Lemon basil

Lemon basil is a Hybrid between basil and African basil ).It is a herb grown primarily in northeastern Africa and southern Asia, for its strong fragrant lemon scent is used in cooking....
), a hybrid between O. americanum and O. basilicum, is noted for its lemon

Lemon

The lemon is the common name for Citrus limon. The reproductive tissue surrounds the seed of the angiosperm lemon tree. The lemon is used for culinary and nonculinary purposes throughout the world....
flavour and used in cooking.

Ocimum species are used as food plants by the larva

Larva

A larva is a young form of animal with indirect developmental biology, going through or undergoing metamorphosis .The larva can look completely different from the adult form, for example, a caterpillar differs from a butterfly....
e of some Lepidoptera

Lepidoptera

Lepidoptera is an order of insect that includes moths and butterfly. It is one of the most speciose orders in the class Insecta, encompassing moths and the three superfamilies of butterfly, skipper , and Hedylidae....
species including Endoclita malabaricus
Endoclita

Endoclita is a genus of moths of the family Hepialidae. There are 60 described species found in eastern and southeast Asia and the Indian subcontinent....
.

Ocimum

See also