Clinopodium vulgare

Last updated

Clinopodium vulgare
Clinopodium vulgare inflorescence.jpg
Status TNC G5.svg
Secure  (NatureServe) [1]
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Asterids
Order: Lamiales
Family: Lamiaceae
Genus: Clinopodium
Species:
C. vulgare
Binomial name
Clinopodium vulgare
L., 1753
Subspecies [2]
  • C. vulgare subsp. arundanum (Boiss.) Nyman
  • C. vulgare subsp. orientale Bothmer
  • C. vulgare subsp. vulgare
Synonyms [2]
List
    • Acinos vulgaris (L.) Pers. (1806)
    • Calamintha clinopodium (Vest) Spenn. (1835)
    • Calamintha vulgaris (L.) Druce (1906)
    • Clinopodium clinopodium (Vest) Degen (1905)
    • Faucibarba clinopodium (Vest) Dulac (1867)
    • Melissa clinopodium (Vest) Benth. (1834)
    • Melissa vulgaris (L.) Trevis. (1842)
    • Satureja clinopodium (Vest) Caruel (1884)
    • Satureja vulgaris (L.) Fritsch (1897)
    • Thymus clinopodium Vest (1805)

Clinopodium vulgare, the wild basil (not to be confused with the basils of the genus Ocimum ), is a species of flowering plant in the family Lamiaceae.

Contents

Description

Wild basil is a perennial rhizomatous herb with square, upright, hairy stems and opposite pairs of leaves. The leaves are hairy, ovate or lanceolate in shape, and have short or no stalks, wedge-shaped bases and bluntly-toothed margins. The inflorescence is a terminal spike consisting of several loose whorls of clusters of flowers growing in the axils of the leaves. Each flower has a short stalk, five sepals about 10 mm (0.39 in) long and five petals 12 to 15 mm (0.47 to 0.59 in) in length which are fused into a tube. The flowers are pink, violet or purple and have two lips. Each has four stamens, a long style and fused carpels. [3]

Distribution

Wild basil occurs in suitable locations in most of Europe, western and central Asia, North America and North Africa. Its typical habitat is dry grassland and heathland, usually on limestone or chalky soils. [4] Though its distribution is patchy it is widespread and not threatened in the UK. [5]

Uses

The leaves of wild basil are used as an aromatic herb in the preparation of food dishes and to make a herbal tea. They can also be used in the preparation of both a brown and a yellow dye. [4]

This plant has traditionally been used as an astringent, a cardiac stimulant, an expectorant, to reduce flatulence and to increase perspiration. [4] It has been used traditionally in Bulgaria for the healing of wounds and has been shown to have anti-bacterial properties. [6]

Ecology

Pollination is by bees and Lepidoptera. [7]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dill</span> Species of flowering plant in the celery family Apiaceae

Dill is an annual herb in the celery family Apiaceae. It is native to North Africa, Iran, and the Arabian Peninsula; it is grown widely in Eurasia, where its leaves and seeds are used as a herb or spice for flavouring food.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Oregano</span> Species of flowering plant

Oregano is a species of flowering plant in the mint family Lamiaceae. It was native to the Mediterranean region, but widely naturalised elsewhere in the temperate Northern Hemisphere.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fennel</span> Flowering plant species in the carrot family

Fennel is a flowering plant species in the carrot family. It is a hardy, perennial herb with yellow flowers and feathery leaves. It is indigenous to the shores of the Mediterranean but has become widely naturalized in many parts of the world, especially on dry soils near the sea coast and on riverbanks.

<i>Leucanthemum vulgare</i> Species of flowering plant

Leucanthemum vulgare, commonly known as the ox-eye daisy, oxeye daisy, dog daisy, marguerite and other common names, is a widespread flowering plant native to Europe and the temperate regions of Asia, and an introduced plant to North America, Australia and New Zealand.

<i>Geranium robertianum</i> Species of flowering plant in the family Geraniaceae

Geranium robertianum, commonly known as herb-robert, or Robert's geranium, is a species of cranesbill that is widespread throughout the northern hemisphere and introduced to some countries in the southern. It is common in woods, hedges, in gardens and waste ground, and can also be found on shingle beaches and limestone pavement. It is not regarded as being rare or threatened, but in some places it is considered to be invasive.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tansy</span> Species of plant

Tansy is a perennial, herbaceous flowering plant in the genus Tanacetum in the aster family, native to temperate Europe and Asia. It has been introduced to other parts of the world, including North America, and in some areas has become invasive. It is also known as common tansy, bitter buttons, cow bitter, or golden buttons. The Latin word vulgare means "common".

<i>Echium vulgare</i> Species of flowering plant

Echium vulgare, known as viper's bugloss and blueweed, is a species of flowering plant in the borage family Boraginaceae. It is native to most of Europe and western and central Asia and it occurs as an introduced species in north-eastern North America, south-western South America and the South and North Island of New Zealand. The plant root was used in ancient times as a treatment for snake or viper bites. If eaten, the plant is toxic to horses and cattle through the accumulation of pyrrolizidine alkaloids in the liver.

<i>Thymus serpyllum</i> Species of plant

Thymus serpyllum, known by the common names of Breckland thyme, Breckland wild thyme, wild thyme, creeping thyme, or elfin thyme, is a species of flowering plant in the mint family Lamiaceae, native to most of Europe and North Africa. It is a low, usually prostrate subshrub growing to 2 cm (1 in) tall with creeping stems up to 10 cm (4 in) long. The oval evergreen leaves are 3–8 mm long. The strongly scented flowers are either lilac, pink-purple, magenta, or a rare white, all 4–6 mm long and produced in clusters. The hardy plant tolerates some pedestrian traffic and produces odors ranging from heavily herbal to lightly lemon, depending on the variety.

<i>Leonurus cardiaca</i> Species of plant

Leonurus cardiaca, known as motherwort, is an herbaceous perennial plant in the mint family, Lamiaceae. Other common names include throw-wort, lion's ear, and lion's tail. Lion's tail is also a common name for Leonotis leonurus, and lion's ear, a common name for Leonotis nepetifolia. Originally from Central Asia and southeastern Europe, it is now found worldwide, spread largely due to its use as a herbal remedy.

<i>Persicaria lapathifolia</i> Species of plant

Persicaria lapathifolia, known as pale persicaria, is a plant of the family Polygonaceae. It is considered to be native throughout most of the world, from arctic to tropical realms, except South America and Southern Africa. It is closely related to Persicaria maculosa and as such is considered a weed in Britain and Europe. Other common names for the plant include pale smartweed, curlytop knotweed, and willow weed. It is a species complex made up of a great many varying forms, sometimes considered varieties. The environment also has a strong influence on the morphology of an individual plant.

<i>Lamium amplexicaule</i> Species of flowering plant

Lamium amplexicaule, commonly known as henbit dead-nettle, is a species of Lamium native to most of Europe, Asia and northern Africa. Its status in Great Britain and Ireland is disputed; some sources give it as native, while others cite it as an archaeophyte. The specific name refers to the amplexicaul leaves.

<i>Ballota nigra</i> Species of flowering plants in the sage family Lamiaceae

Ballota nigra, black horehound, is a perennial herb of the family Lamiaceae. It is native to the Mediterranean region and to central Asia and it can be found throughout Europe. It is also naturalized in Argentina, New Zealand, and the Eastern United States. It blooms in the Northern Hemisphere from May to August.

<i>Clinopodium</i> Genus of flowering plants

Clinopodium is a genus of flowering plants in the family Lamiaceae. It is in the tribe Mentheae of the subfamily Nepetoideae, but little else can be said with certainty about its phylogenetic position.

<i>Campanula cervicaria</i> Species of flowering plant

Campanula cervicaria, the bristly bellflower, is a species of flowering plant in the bellflower family Campanulaceae. The plant is roughly hairy and the flowers are about 1–2 centimetres (0.4–0.8 in) long, light blue and are grouped together.

<i>Perilla frutescens</i> Species of flowering plant

Perilla frutescens, also called deulkkae or Korean perilla, is a species of Perilla in the mint family Lamiaceae. It is an annual plant native to Southeast Asia and Indian highlands, and is traditionally grown in the Korean peninsula, southern China, Japan and India as a crop.

<i>Stachys sylvatica</i> Species of herb

Stachys sylvatica, commonly known as hedge woundwort, whitespot, or sometimes as hedge nettle, is a perennial herbaceous plant growing to 80 cm (31 in) tall in woodland and unmanaged grassland. In temperate zones of the northern hemisphere it flowers in July and August. The flowers are purple. The leaves, when crushed or bruised, give off an unpleasant fetid smell.

<i>Lobelia siphilitica</i> Species of flowering plant

Lobelia siphilitica, the great blue lobelia, great lobelia, or blue cardinal flower, is a plant species within the family Campanulaceae. It is an herbaceous perennial dicot native to eastern and central Canada and United States. There are two recognized varieties of Lobelia siphilitica, var. siphilitica and var. ludoviciana. Blooming from August to October, it is short-lived, lasting only for a few years.

<i>Vincetoxicum hirundinaria</i> Species of plant in the dogbane family

Vincetoxicum hirundinaria, commonly named white swallow-wort, is a long-lived herbaceous perennial of the genus Vincetoxicum in the family Apocynaceae.

<i>Serruria elongata</i> Small shrub in the protea family from South Africa

Serruria elongata or long-stalk spiderhead is a plant belonging to the protea family. It is an erect, hairless shrublet of 1–1½ m (3½–5 ft) high with densely set, alternate, finely divided leaves lower down the plant, with needle-like segments. On top of an up to 30 cm (12 in) long inflorescence stalk are several, loosely arranged heads of pin-like, densely silvery-haired flower buds, each of which opens with four curled, magenta pink corolla lobes. The species is endemic to the southern Western Cape province of South Africa. It flowers during the southern hemisphere winter and early spring, between June and September.

<i>Clinopodium menthifolium</i> Species of flowering plant

Clinopodium menthifolium, commonly known as the wood calamint or woodland calamint, is a species of flowering plant in the mint family, Lamiaceae. It is found throughout southern and central Europe from the United Kingdom and east as far as temperate parts of Asia, and as south as North Africa. It grows up to 1,700 m (5,600 ft) in elevation.

References

  1. NatureServe (1 November 2024). "Clinopodium vulgare". NatureServe Explorer. Arlington, Virginia. Retrieved 15 November 2024.
  2. 1 2 "Clinopodium vulgare L." Plants of the World Online . Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew . Retrieved 14 November 2024.
  3. "Clinopodium vulgare (wild basil)". Go Botany. New England Wildflower Society. Retrieved 2015-01-09.
  4. 1 2 3 "Clinopodium vulgare". Plants For A Future. Retrieved 2015-01-09.
  5. Nature Spot - Wild Basil
  6. Opalchenova, G.; Obreshkova, D. (1999). "Antibacterial action of extracts of Clinopodium vulgare L. curative plant". Drug Development and Industrial Pharmacy. 25 (3): 323–328. doi:10.1081/DDC-100102177. PMID   10071825.
  7. "Wild Basil, Clinopodium vulgare - Flowers". Naturegate. Retrieved 2019-07-10.