Basil is a plant of Basil in Labiatae. It is millet or perennial.

Basil, with conical main roots and dense fibrous roots. The stem is erect, obtuse quadrangular, slightly grooved at the upper part, hairless at the base, retrorsely puberulent at the upper part, green, often dyed red and multi-branched.

The leaves are ovoid to ovoid-oblong, 2.5-5cm long and1-2.5cm wide. The apex is slightly blunt or acute, the base is gradually narrowed, the edge has irregular teeth or is nearly entire, both sides are nearly hairless, there are glandular points below, and the lateral veins are 3-4 pairs, which are more or less obvious from above the midvein. Petiole elongated, about 65438 0.5 cm long, nearly flat, leaf base with more or less narrow wings, puberulent.

Racemes are terminal on stems and branches, all parts are puberulent, usually 10 to 20 cm long, and consist of many opposite 6-flowered cymbals. The lower cymbals are far apart, up to 2 cm apart, and the upper cymbals are close together. Bracts are small, oblanceolate, 5-8 mm long, shorter than cymes, sharp at the top, tapering at the base, sessile, ciliate at the edge, often colored; Pedicel is obvious, the flowering period is about 3 mm, the fruit period is elongated, about 5 mm long, and the top is obviously bent downward.

Calyx bell-shaped, 4 mm long and 3.5 mm wide, pubescent on the outside and pubescent on the inside of throat. The calyx tube is about 2 mm long, with 5 calyx teeth, 2 lips and 3 upper lips. The middle tooth is the widest, 2 mm long and 3 mm wide, nearly round, concave and short-pointed, and the edge extends down to the calyx tube. The lateral teeth are wide and oval, with a length of 65438+.

Corolla lavender, or white upper lip, purple-red lower lip, protruding from calyx, about 6 mm long, outer surface puberulent on the lip, inner surface hairless, crown tube concealed, about 3 mm long, throat somewhat enlarged, crown brim 2-lipped, upper lip wide, 3 mm long, 4.5 mm wide, 4-lobed, lobes nearly equal in length, nearly round, often wavy, and lower lip oblong. Stamens 4, separated, slightly beyond the corolla, inserted in the middle of corolla tube, filaments filiform, with dentate appendages at the base of filaments, puberulent on them, anthers ovoid and merged into 1 cell. Style beyond stamens, apex equal to 2-lobed. Disk flat-topped, with 4 teeth, teeth not exceeding ovary.

Nutlets are ovoid, 2.5 mm long, 1 mm wide, dark brown, with glandular cavities and 1 white fruit umbilicus at the base. The flowering period is usually from July to September, and the fruiting period is from September to 65438+February.

Mainly distributed in Jilin, Hebei, Henan, Zhejiang, Jiangsu, Anhui, Jiangxi, Hubei, Hunan, Guangdong, Guangxi, Fujian, Guizhou, Yunnan and Sichuan, most of them are cultivated, and some southern provinces are wild.

Like warm and humid climate, not cold-resistant, not drought-resistant, not waterlogging-resistant, well-drained, fertile sandy loam or humus loam is preferred.

Main value

Basil is an aromatic medicinal and edible plant, which tastes like fennel and can be potted for viewing.