Ocimum basilicum var. minimum

Greek basil (UK: /ˈbæzəl/,[1] US: /ˈbeɪzəl/;[2] Ocimum basilicum var. minimum) is a flowering herb and cultivar of basil.

Ocimum basilicum var. minimum
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Asterids
Order: Lamiales
Family: Lamiaceae
Genus: Ocimum
Species:
O. basilicum
Variety:
O. b. var. minimum
Trinomial name
Ocimum basilicum var. minimum

Etymology

The name "basil" comes from Latin, basilius, and Greek βασιλικόν φυτόν (basilikón phutón), meaning "royal/kingly plant".[3]

Culinary use

The Chinese also use fresh or dried basils in soups and other foods. In Taiwan, people add fresh basil leaves to thick soups. They also eat fried chicken with deep-fried basil leaves. Basil (most commonly Thai basil) is commonly steeped in cream or milk to create an interesting flavor in ice cream or chocolates (such as truffles). The leaves are not the only part of basil used in culinary applications, the flower buds have a more subtle flavor and they are edible.

Chemical components

The Greek basil and various other basils have such different scents because the herb has a number of different essential oils in different proportions for various cultivars.[4] The essential oil from European basil contains high concentrations of linalool and methyl chavicol (estragole), in a ratio of about 3:1.[4][5] Other constituents include: 1,8-cineole, eugenol, and myrcene, among others.[4][6] The clove scent of sweet basil is derived from eugenol.[7] The aroma profile of basil includes 1,8-cineole[8][9] and methyl eugenol.[8][10]

Cultivation

Annual herbs can be planted in the garden in spring. Annual herbs are also ideal for containers. Pots can be brought indoors for the winter and placed near a sunny window for harvesting through the cold months. Return the plants outdoors in the spring when the danger of frost is past, or simply replace with fresh plants.

Culture

Many people in Greece don't eat basil because of its association with a religious event known as the “Elevation of the Cross.” Although there are no set religious-related rules against eating this herb, many Greeks haven't developed the flavor for eating it. According to the story, Empress Helene in 326 A.D. is said to have found the original cross that Jesus was crucified on. When she found it, basil was growing in the earth in the shape of a cross. She named the plant “Vasiliki”, or basil, which means, “of the king.” She realized that the cross she found was Jesus's because when a sick woman kissed it, she was made well.

Folk medicine

In folk medicine practices, such as those of Ayurveda or traditional Chinese medicine, basil is thought to have therapeutic properties.[11][12]

References
  1. "British: Basil". Collins Dictionary. n.d. Archived from the original on 29 November 2014. Retrieved 25 September 2014.
  2. "American: Basil". Collins Dictionary. n.d. Archived from the original on 29 November 2014. Retrieved 25 September 2014.
  3. "Basil". Etymology Online, Douglas Harper. 2018. Archived from the original on 25 October 2012.
  4. Simon, James E (23 February 1998). "Basil". Center for New Crops & Plant Products, Department of Horticulture, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN. Archived from the original on 2 May 2017. Retrieved 22 January 2018.
  5. James E. Simon; Mario R. Morales; Winthrop B. Phippen; Roberto Fontes Vieira; Zhigang Hao (1999). "Basil: A Source of Aroma Compounds and a Popular Culinary and Ornamental Herb" (PDF). In J. Janick (ed.). Perspectives on New Crops and New Uses: Proceedings of the Fourth National Symposium New Crops and New Uses: Biodiversity and Agricultural Sustainability. Alexandria, VA: ASHS Press. ISBN 978-0-9615027-0-6. Archived (PDF) from the original on 9 April 2008.
  6. Eberhard Breitmaier (22 September 2006). Terpenes: Flavors, Fragrances, Pharmaca, Pheromones. John Wiley & Sons. pp. 11–. ISBN 978-3-527-31786-8. Archived from the original on 12 October 2013. Retrieved 2 August 2013. Acyclic monoterpenoid trienes such as p-myrcene and configurational isomers of p- ocimene are found in the oils of basil (leaves of Ocimum basilicum, Labiatae), bay (leaves of Fimenta acris, Myrtaceae), hops (strobiles of Humulus lupulus, ...
  7. Md Shahidul Islam (4 February 2011). Transient Receptor Potential Channels. Springer. pp. 50–. ISBN 978-94-007-0265-3. Archived from the original on 12 October 2013. Retrieved 2 August 2013. Eugenol is a vanilloid contained in relatively high amounts in clove oil from Eugenia caryophyllata, as well as cinnamon leaf oil (Cinnamomum zeylanicum) and oil from the clove basil Ocimum gratissimum. While eugenol is often referred to as ...
  8. Johnson, B. Christopher; et al. (1999). "Substantial UV-B-mediated induction of essential oils in sweet basil (Ocimum basilicum L.)". Phytochemistry. 51 (4): 507–510. doi:10.1016/S0031-9422(98)00767-5.
  9. Baritaux, O.; Richard, H.; Touche, J.; Derbesy, M.; et al. (1992). "Effects of drying and storage of herbs and spices on the essential oil. Part I. Basil, Ocimum basilicum L.". Flavour and Fragrance Journal. 7 (5): 267–271. doi:10.1002/ffj.2730070507.
  10. Miele, Mariangela; Dondero, R; Ciarallo, G; Mazzei, M; et al. (2001). "Methyleugenol in Ocimum basilicum L. Cv. 'Genovese Gigante'". Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry. 49 (1): 517–521. doi:10.1021/jf000865w. PMID 11170620.
  11. Hiltunen R, Holm Y (2003). Basil: The Genus Ocimum. CRC Press. pp. 120–1. ISBN 9780203303771. Archived from the original on 12 October 2016.
  12. Ambrose, Dawn C. P.; Manickavasagan, Annamalai; Naik, Ravindra (25 July 2016). Leafy Medicinal Herbs: Botany, Chemistry, Postharvest Technology and Uses. CABI. ISBN 9781780645599. Archived from the original on 21 April 2017.
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