{{Short description|Variety of basil}} {{more citations needed|date=April 2019}} {{Use dmy dates|date=December 2023}} {{Infraspeciesbox |image = Basilikos.JPG |genus = Ocimum |species = basilicum |varietas = minimum |authority = L. }}
'''Greek basil''' ({{IPAc-en|UK|ˈ|b|æ|z|əl}},<ref name="Collins">{{cite web|url=http://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/american/basil?showCookiePolicy=true|title=British: Basil|access-date=25 September 2014|publisher=Collins Dictionary|date=n.d.|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141129090005/http://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/american/basil?showCookiePolicy=true|archive-date=29 November 2014}}</ref> {{IPAc-en|US|ˈ|b|eɪ|z|əl}};<ref name="Collins2">{{cite web|url=http://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/american/basil?showCookiePolicy=true|title=American: Basil|access-date=25 September 2014|publisher=Collins Dictionary|date=n.d.|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141129090005/http://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/american/basil?showCookiePolicy=true|archive-date=29 November 2014}}</ref> ''Ocimum basilicum'' var. ''minimum'') is a flowering herb and cultivar of basil.
== Etymology == The name "basil" comes from Latin, ''basilius'', and Greek βασιλικόν φυτόν (''basilikón phutón''), meaning "royal/kingly plant".<ref name="eo">{{cite web|url=http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=Basil|title=Basil|publisher=Etymology Online, Douglas Harper|date=2018|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121025133900/http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=basil|archive-date=25 October 2012}}</ref>
== 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.{{Citation needed|date=April 2026|reason="the chinese" (???) requires some references at the very least}}
== 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.<ref name="simon">{{cite web|last1=Simon|first1=James E|title=Basil|url=https://www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/CropFactSheets/basil.html|publisher=Center for New Crops & Plant Products, Department of Horticulture, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN|access-date=22 January 2018|date=23 February 1998|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170502080706/https://hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/CropFactSheets/basil.html|archive-date=2 May 2017}}</ref> The essential oil from European basil contains high concentrations of linalool and methyl chavicol (estragole), in a ratio of about 3:1.<ref name=simon/><ref name="janick">{{cite conference |editor=J. Janick |book-title=Perspectives on New Crops and New Uses: Proceedings of the Fourth National Symposium New Crops and New Uses: Biodiversity and Agricultural Sustainability |author=James E. Simon |author2=Mario R. Morales |author3=Winthrop B. Phippen |author4=Roberto Fontes Vieira |author5=Zhigang Hao |url=http://www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/proceedings1999/pdf/v4-499.pdf |title=Basil: A Source of Aroma Compounds and a Popular Culinary and Ornamental Herb |date=1999|publisher=ASHS Press |location=Alexandria, VA|isbn=978-0-9615027-0-6|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080409050604/http://www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/proceedings1999/pdf/v4-499.pdf|archive-date=9 April 2008}}</ref> Other constituents include: 1,8-cineole, eugenol, and myrcene, among others.<ref name=simon/><ref name="Breitmaier2006">{{cite book|author=Eberhard Breitmaier|title=Terpenes: Flavors, Fragrances, Pharmaca, Pheromones|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=9yrbR2WZ8bwC&pg=PA11|access-date=2 August 2013|date=22 September 2006|publisher=John Wiley & Sons|isbn=978-3-527-31786-8|page=11|quote=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, ...|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131012210605/http://books.google.com/books?id=9yrbR2WZ8bwC&pg=PA11|archive-date=12 October 2013}}</ref> The clove scent of sweet basil is derived from eugenol.<ref name="Islam2011">{{cite book|author=Md Shahidul Islam|title=Transient Receptor Potential Channels|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=TCMnYLLb758C&pg=PA50|access-date=2 August 2013|date=4 February 2011|publisher=Springer|isbn=978-94-007-0265-3|page=50|quote=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 ...|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131012221020/http://books.google.com/books?id=TCMnYLLb758C&pg=PA50|archive-date=12 October 2013}}</ref> The aroma profile of basil includes 1,8-cineole<ref name="suie">{{cite journal | last = Johnson | first = B. Christopher | title = Substantial UV-B-mediated induction of essential oils in sweet basil (''Ocimum basilicum'' L.) | journal = Phytochemistry | volume = 51 | issue = 4 | pages = 507–510 | year = 1999 | doi = 10.1016/S0031-9422(98)00767-5|display-authors=etal | bibcode = 1999PChem..51..507J }}</ref><ref name="edsh">{{cite journal | last1 = Baritaux | first1 = O. | title = Effects of drying and storage of herbs and spices on the essential oil. Part I. Basil, ''Ocimum basilicum'' L. | journal = Flavour and Fragrance Journal | volume = 7 | issue = 5 | pages = 267–271 | year = 1992 | doi = 10.1002/ffj.2730070507 | last2 = Richard | first2 = H. | last3 = Touche | first3 = J. | last4 = Derbesy | first4 = M.|display-authors=etal}}</ref> and methyl eugenol.<ref name=suie /><ref name="mobg">{{cite journal | last1 = Miele | first1 = Mariangela | title = Methyleugenol in ''Ocimum basilicum'' L. Cv. 'Genovese Gigante' | journal = Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry | volume = 49 | issue = 1 | pages = 517–521 | year = 2001 | doi = 10.1021/jf000865w | pmid = 11170620 | last2 = Dondero | first2 = R | last3 = Ciarallo | first3 = G | last4 = Mazzei | first4 = M|display-authors=etal | bibcode = 2001JAFC...49..517M }}</ref>
== 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.<!-- {{subst:cn}} -->
== Culture == Many people in Greece avoid eating basil because of its association with a religious event known as the "Elevation of the Cross". There are no set religious-related rules against eating this herb, but many Greek Orthodox Christians avoid it as part of their personal or family religious practice. According to the story, Empress Helene in 326 A.D. went looking for the wood of the 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."{{Citation needed|date=April 2019}}
=== Folk medicine === In folk medicine practices, such as those of Ayurveda or traditional Chinese medicine, basil is thought to have therapeutic properties.<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=fLxiMFPvAfUC&q=ayurveda|title=Basil: The Genus Ocimum|author=Hiltunen R, Holm Y|publisher=CRC Press|year=2003|isbn=9780203303771|pages=120–1|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161012051750/https://books.google.ca/books?redir_esc=y&id=fLxiMFPvAfUC&q=ayurveda#v=snippet&q=ayurveda&f=false|archive-date=12 October 2016|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name=":1">{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=wwLpDAAAQBAJ&q=basil+medicinal+encyclopedia&pg=PA27|title=Leafy Medicinal Herbs: Botany, Chemistry, Postharvest Technology and Uses|last1=Ambrose|first1=Dawn C. P.|last2=Manickavasagan|first2=Annamalai|last3=Naik|first3=Ravindra|date=2016-07-25|publisher=CABI|isbn=9781780645599|language=en|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170421195720/https://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=wwLpDAAAQBAJ&oi=fnd&pg=PA27&dq=basil+medicinal+encyclopedia&ots=9O5jZItWJy&sig=ct1NYfHVakWIsSvEML3axf2sHTM#v=onepage&q=basil%20medicinal%20encyclopedia&f=false|archive-date=21 April 2017|url-status=live}}</ref>
== References == {{Reflist}} {{Herbs & spices}} {{Transient receptor potential channel modulators}} {{Taxonbar|from1=Q65121094|from2=Q38859}}
Category:Flora of Asia Category:Flora of New Guinea Category:Indian spices Category:Medicinal plants of Asia Category:Herbs Category:Insect repellents basilicum var. minimum Category:Botanical taxa named by Carl Linnaeus