KristyThacker77: fixed lead to improve readability and corrected details

2026-02-11T17:41:36Z

fixed lead to improve readability and corrected details

imported>Rasnaboy: Undid revision 1037853624 by 106.214.243.34 (talk)

2021-08-09T07:38:04Z

Undid revision 1037853624 by 106.214.243.34 (talk)

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{{Redirect|Tulsi|the Hindu goddess|Tulsi in Hinduism|other uses|Tulsi (disambiguation)}}
{{redirect|Tulasi|the 2007 Indian film|Tulasi (film)|the Indian actress|Tulasi (actress)}}
{{Redirect-distinguish2|Holy Basil|holy herb ([[Verbena officinalis]])}}
{{short description|Holy basil}}
{{Italic title}}
{{speciesbox
|image = Ocimum tenuiflorum2.jpg
|genus = Ocimum
|species = tenuiflorum
|authority = [[Carolus Linnaeus|L.]]
|synonyms =
{{Plainlist | style = margin-left: 1em; text-indent: -1em; |
*''Geniosporum tenuiflorum'' (L.) Merr.
*''Lumnitzera tenuiflora'' (L.) Spreng.
*''Moschosma tenuiflorum'' (L.) Heynh.
*''Ocimum anisodorum'' F.Muell.
*''Ocimum caryophyllinum'' F.Muell.
*''Ocimum hirsutum'' Benth.
*''Ocimum inodorum'' Burm.f.
*''Ocimum monachorum'' L.
*''Ocimum sanctum'' L.
*''Ocimum scutellarioides'' Willd. ex Benth.
*''Ocimum subserratum'' B.Heyne ex Hook.f.
*''Ocimum tomentosum'' Lam.
*''Ocimum villosum'' Roxb. nom. illeg.
*''Plectranthus monachorum'' (L.) Spreng.
}}
|synonyms_ref = <ref>{{cite web
|url=http://www.theplantlist.org/tpl1.1/record/kew-137105
|title=The Plant List: A Working List of All Plant Species
|access-date=13 January 2015}}</ref>
}}

'''''Ocimum tenuiflorum''''', commonly known as '''holy basil''' or '''''tulsi''''',<ref name=GRIN>{{GRIN | access-date = 7 July 2021}}</ref> is an aromatic [[perennial]] plant in the family [[Lamiaceae]]. It is native to the [[Indian subcontinent]] and widespread as a cultivated plant throughout the [[Southeast Asia]]n [[tropics]].<ref name="Staples1999">{{Cite book|last=Staples|first=George|author2=Michael S. Kristiansen |title=Ethnic Culinary Herbs |publisher=University of Hawaii Press |year=1999|isbn=978-0-8248-2094-7|page=73}}</ref><ref name="warrier">{{Cite book|last=Warrier|first=P K|title=Indian Medicinal Plants|publisher=Orient Longman|year=1995|page=168|isbn=978-0-86311-551-6}}</ref>

''Tulsi'' 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 [[Vaishnavism|Vaishnava]] tradition of [[Hinduism]], in which devotees perform worship involving holy basil plants or leaves.

The variety of ''Ocimum tenuiflorum'' used in Cambodian and [[Thai cuisine]] is referred to as '''Thai holy basil''' ({{lang-th|กะเพรา}} ''kaphrao'') or ({{lang-km|ម្រះព្រៅ}} ''mreah-pruv'');<ref name="Staples1999"/> it is not the same as [[Thai basil]] or Chi neang vorng, which is a variety of ''[[basil|Ocimum basilicum]]''.

==Morphology==
[[File:Starr 080117-1577 Ocimum tenuiflorum.jpg|left|thumb|upright|Closeup of ''tulsi'' leaves]]
[[File:Ocimum tenuiflorum flower.jpg | thumb|right |''Ocimum tenuiflorum'' flowers]]

Holy basil is an erect, many-branched subshrub, {{convert|30-60|cm|abbr=on}} tall with hairy stems. Leaves are green or purple; they are simple, [[petiole (botany)|petioled]], with an [[wikt:ovate|ovate]] blade up to {{convert|5|cm|in|frac=2|abbr=on}} long, which usually has a slightly toothed margin; they are strongly scented and have a [[decussation|decussate]] [[phyllotaxis|phyllotaxy]]. The purplish flowers are placed in close whorls on elongated [[raceme]]s.<ref name="warrier"/>

The three main [[Polymorphism (biology)|morphotype]]s 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''.<ref name="bio">{{Cite journal |date=November–December 2005 |title=Volatile Constituents in Oil from Different Plant Parts of Methyl Eugenol-Rich Ocimum tenuiflorum L.f. (syn. O. sanctum L.) Grown in South India |journal=Journal of Essential Oil Research |doi=10.1080/10412905.2005.9699025 |first1=S. K. |last1=Kothari |first2=A. K. |last2=Bhattacharya |first3=S. |last3=Ramesh |first4=S. N. |last4=Garg |first5=S. P. S. |last5=Khanuja |pages=656–658 |volume=17 |issue=6 |s2cid=95551382 }}</ref>

==Origin and distribution==

[[DNA barcode]]s of various [[biogeographical]] [[chemical isolate|isolate]]s of tulsi from the Indian subcontinent are now available. In a large-scale [[phylogeography|phylogeographical]] study of this species conducted using [[chloroplast]] [[genome]] sequences, a group of researchers from [[Central University of Punjab]], [[Bathinda]], have found that this plant originates from North-Central India.<ref>{{cite journal|last=Bast|first=Felix|author2=Pooja Rani |author3=Devendra Meena |title=Chloroplast DNA Phylogeography of Holy Basil (''Ocimum tenuiflorum'') in Indian Subcontinent|journal=The Scientific World Journal|year=2014|doi=10.1155/2014/847482|pmid=847482|volume=70|issue=3|pages=277–85|doi-access=free}}</ref>

This basil has now escaped from cultivation and has [[naturalisation (biology)|naturalised]] into a [[cosmopolitan distribution]].<ref name="CABI-ISC">{{ cite web | url=http://www.cabi.org/isc/datasheet/110287 | title=Ocimum tenuiflorum (holy basil) - CABI Invasive Species Compendium }}</ref><ref name="ITIS Standard Report Page: Ocimum tenuiflorum">{{ cite web | url=http://www.itis.gov/servlet/SingleRpt/SingleRpt?search_topic=TSN&search_value=507863 | title=ITIS Standard Report Page: Ocimum tenuiflorum }}</ref>

== Chemical composition ==
Some of the [[phytochemical]] constituents of ''tulsi'' are [[oleanolic acid]], [[ursolic acid]], [[rosmarinic acid]], [[eugenol]], [[carvacrol]], [[linalool]], and [[Caryophyllene|β-caryophyllene]] (about 8%).<ref>{{cite journal|doi=10.1080/10826076.2011.606583|title=Lc-Ms Quantification of Rosmarinic Acid and Ursolic Acid in Theocimum Sanctumlinn. Leaf Extract (Holy Basil, Tulsi)|journal=Journal of Liquid Chromatography & Related Technologies|volume=35|issue=5|pages=634|year=2012|last1=Sundaram|first1=R. Shanmuga|last2=Ramanathan|first2=M|last3=Rajesh|first3=R|last4=Satheesh|first4=B|last5=Saravanan|first5=D|s2cid=95225535}}</ref>

''Tulsi ''essential oil consists mostly of eugenol (~70%) [[elemene|β-elemene]] (~11.0%), β-caryophyllene (~8%), and [[germacrene]] (~2%), with the balance being made up of various trace compounds, mostly [[terpenes]].<ref>{{Cite journal
| last1 = Padalia | first1 = Rajendra C.
| last2 = Verma | first2 = Ram S.
| doi = 10.1080/14786419.2010.482936
| title = Comparative volatile oil composition of four ''Ocimum'' species from northern India
| journal = Natural Product Research
| volume = 25
| issue = 6
| pages = 569–575
| year = 2011
| pmid = 21409717
| s2cid = 205836713
}}</ref>

==Genome sequence==
The genome of the tulsi plant has been sequenced and reported as a draft, estimated to be 612 mega bases, with results showing genes for biosynthesis of [[anthocyanin]]s in ''Shyama Tulsi'', ursolic acid and eugenol in ''Rama Tulsi''.<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Upadhyay|first1=Atul K.|last2=Chacko|first2=Anita R.|last3=Gandhimathi|first3=A.|last4=Ghosh|first4=Pritha|last5=Harini|first5=K.|last6=Joseph|first6=Agnel P.|last7=Joshi|first7=Adwait G.|last8=Karpe|first8=Snehal D.|last9=Kaushik|first9=Swati|last10=Kuravadi|first10=Nagesh|last11=Lingu|first11=Chandana S|last12=Mahita|first12=J.|last13=Malarini|first13=Ramya|last14=Malhotra|first14=Sony|last15=Malini|first15=Manoharan|last16=Mathew|first16=Oommen K.|last17=Mutt|first17=Eshita|last18=Naika|first18=Mahantesha|last19=Nitish|first19=Sathyanarayanan|last20=Pasha|first20=Shaik Naseer|last21=Raghavender|first21=Upadhyayula S.|last22=Rajamani|first22=Anantharamanan|last23=Shilpa|first23=S|last24=Shingate|first24=Prashant N.|last25=Singh|first25=Heikham Russiachand|last26=Sukhwal|first26=Anshul|last27=Sunitha|first27=Margaret S.|last28=Sumathi|first28=Manojkumar|last29=Ramaswamy|first29=S.|last30=Gowda|first30=Malali|last31=Sowdhamini|first31=Ramanathan|title=Genome sequencing of herb Tulsi (''Ocimum tenuiflorum'') unravels key genes behind its strong medicinal properties|journal=BMC Plant Biology|date=28 August 2015|volume=15|issue=1|page=212|doi=10.1186/s12870-015-0562-x|pmid=26315624|pmc=4552454}}</ref>

==Uses==
''Tulsi'' (Sanskrit:-Surasa) has been used in Ayurveda and [[Siddha medicine|Siddha]] practices for its supposed treatment of diseases.<ref>{{Cite book|last=NIIR Board, National Institute of Industrial Research (India)|title=Compendium of Medicinal Plants|publisher=National Institute of Industrial Research|series=2004|isbn=978-81-86623-80-0|page=320|year=2004}}</ref><ref name="BraunCohen2015">{{cite book|author1=Lesley Braun|author2=Marc Cohen|title=Herbs and Natural Supplements, Volume 2: An Evidence-Based Guide|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Y951BwAAQBAJ&pg=PA996|date=30 March 2015|publisher=Elsevier Health Sciences|isbn=978-0-7295-8173-8|page=996}}</ref>

For centuries, the dried leaves have been mixed with stored grains to repel insects.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Biswas|first=N. P.|author2=Biswas, A. K.|title= Evaluation of some leaf dusts as grain protectant against rice weevil ''Sitophilus oryzae'' (Linn.) |journal=Environment and Ecology|volume= 23 |issue= 3|year= 2005|pages=485–488 }}</ref>

==Significance in Hinduism==
{{main|Tulsi in Hinduism}}

''Tulsi'' is a sacred plant for [[Hindu]]s, is worshipped as the avatar of [[Lakshmi]],{{cn|date=July 2021}} may be planted in [[courtyard]]s of Hindu houses or Hanuman temples.<ref name="Simoons"/> The ritual lighting of lamps each evening during ''Kartik'' includes the worship of the ''tulsi'' plant.<ref name="Flood2003">{{Cite book|last=Flood|first=Gavin D. |author-link=Gavin Flood |title=The Blackwell companion to Hinduism|publisher=Wiley-Blackwell|year=2001 |page=331 |isbn=978-0-631-21535-6 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=qSfneQ0YYY8C&pg=PA331}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |title=Hindu Mythology |last=Wilkins|first=W.J. |page=471 |publisher=D.K. Printworld |location=New Delhi |isbn=978-81-246-0234-8 |year=2003}}</ref> Vaishnavas followers of Vishnu are known as "those who bear the'' tulsi'' around the neck".<ref name="Simoons">{{Cite book |last=Simoons|first=Frederick J.|title=Plants of life, plants of death |publisher=Univ of Wisconsin Press |year=1998 |pages=7–40 |isbn=978-0-299-15904-7 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=KEUAbrBoeBAC&pg=PA14}}</ref>

''[[Tulsi Vivah]]'' is a ceremonial festival performed between [[Prabodhini Ekadashi]] (the 11th or 12th lunar day of the bright fortnight of the [[Hindu calendar|Hindu month]] of [[Kartika (month)|Kartik]]) and [[Kartik Poornima]] (the full moon of the month).<ref name = underhill>{{cite book |author=Underhill, M. M. |title=The Hindu Religious Year |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Fb9Zc0yPVUUC |year=1991 |pages= 129–131 |publisher=Asian Educational Services |isbn=978-81-206-0523-7}}</ref><ref name="PawarPatil2008">{{cite book |author1=Pawar, Shubhangi |author2=Patil, D. A. |title=Ethnobotany of Jalgaon District, Maharashtra |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=xTi0iaalLXcC&pg=PA401 |date= 2008 |pages=400 |publisher=Daya Publishing House |isbn=978-81-7035-515-1}}</ref>

==Gallery==
<gallery mode="nolines">
File:Holy Basil in India.jpg|''O. tenuiflorum''
File:Thulasi.jpg|''Tulsi'' in a home garden
File:Tulasi Leaf.jpg|''Tulsi'' leaf
File:Ocimum tenuiflorum inflorescence closeup.jpg|Closeup of inflorescence
File:Ocimum tenuiflorum (Tulsi) Flower.jpeg|Flower of ''tulsi''
File:Holy Basil flowers.jpg|''Tulsi'' flowers
File:ಮನೆ ಅಂಗಳ ತುಳಸಿ ಕಟ್ಟೆ.JPG|An altar with ''tulsi'' plant for daily worship in a courtyard
File:Japa mala (prayer beads) of Tulasi wood with 108 beads - 20040101-01.jpg|[[Prayer beads]] made from ''tulsi'' wood
File:Tulsi plant (Ocimum tenuiflorum).jpg|Tulsi plant
File:Tulsi Flowers.jpg|Tulsi Flowers, also known as Manjiri in Hindi
</gallery>

==See also==
* [[Sacred trees]]
* [[Sacred groves]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category-inline|Ocimum tenuiflorum}}

{{Herbs & spices}}
{{Worship in Hinduism}}
{{Taxonbar|from=Q960124}}

[[Category:Herbs]]
[[Category:Ocimum|tenuiflorum]]
[[Category:Plants used in Ayurveda]]
[[Category:Flora of tropical Asia]]
[[Category:Plants described in 1753]]
[[Category:Indian spices]]
[[Category:Taxa named by Carl Linnaeus]]

Ocimum tenuiflorum - Revision history

KristyThacker77: fixed lead to improve readability and corrected details

imported>Rasnaboy: Undid revision 1037853624 by 106.214.243.34 (talk)