Ocimum tenuiflorum (හීන්මදුරුතලා)

  

Ocimum tenuiflorum, commonly known as holy basil is an aromatic perennial plant in the family Lamiaceae. Ocimum tenuiflorum 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. Annual or semi-shrubby perennial, to 1.05 m tall; young branches more densely hirsuit with reddish-purple hairs. Leaves 1.4-3 × 0.9-2.0 cm, puberulous above, hirtellous beneath, dotted on both surface with sessile oil glands; petioles0.4-1.8 cm long. Racemes to 12 cm long. Flora leaves 2 ×3 mm. Nutlets 1.5×1 mm, dark brown. This plant is well known for its medicinal and spiritual properties in Ayurveda which includes Malaria, Croup, Catarrh, Bronchitis, Diarrhoea, Gastric disorders, Hepatic infections, Earache, Vomiting, Worm infestation, Rheumatism, Bee stings, Wasp stings.

• Common Name In Sri Lanka: Heen maduruthala (හීන්මදුරුතලා)
• Scientific Name: Ocimum tenuiflorum
• Habitat: Tropical and subtropical regions
• Average Height: 30 - 100 cm