Editing Basil (section)

== Description ==
[[File:Timelapse-Basil-growing.oga|thumb|upright=0.9|[[Timelapse]] of growing basil]]
[[File:Ocimum basilicum desiccated 5145~2016 01 03.JPG|thumb|upright=0.9|Desiccated basil showing seed dispersal]]

Basil is an [[Annual plant|annual]], or sometimes [[perennial]], herb. Depending on the [[Variety (botany)|variety]], plants can reach heights of between {{convert|30 and 150|cm|ft|0|abbr=off}}.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Kandil |first1=M. A. M. |last2=Khatab |first2=M. E. |last3=Ahmed |first3=S. S. |last4=Schnug |first4=E |date=2009 |title=Herbal and essential oil yield of Genovese basil (Ocimum basilicum L.) grown with mineral and organic fertilizer sources in Egypt |journal=Journal für Kulturpflanzen |volume=61 |pages=443–449 |number=12}}</ref> Basil [[leaves]] are glossy and ovulate, with smooth or slightly toothed edges that typically cup slightly; the leaves are arranged oppositely along the square stems.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Britannica |first1=((The Editors of Encyclopaedia)) |title=basil (herb) |url=https://www.britannica.com/plant/basil |website=Encyclopedia Britannica |access-date=21 December 2023}}</ref>  Leaves may be green or purple. Its flowers are small and white, and grow from a central [[inflorescence]], or [[Raceme#Spike|spike]], that emerges from the central stem atop the plant.{{citation needed|date=April 2019}} Unusual among [[Lamiaceae]], the four [[stamen]]s and the [[pistil]] are not pushed under the upper lip of the [[Corolla (flower)|corolla]], but lie over the inferior lip. After [[entomophily|entomophilous]] pollination, the corolla falls off and four round [[achene]]s develop inside the bilabiate [[calyx (botany)|calyx]].{{citation needed|date=April 2019}}

=== Phytochemistry ===
The various basils have such distinct scents because the [[volatile organic compound|volatile aromatic compounds]] vary with cultivars.<ref name="simon" /> 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 journal |last1=Lee |first1=Seung-Joo |last2=Umano |first2=Katumi |last3=Shibamoto |first3=Takayuki |last4=Lee |first4=Kwang-Geun |date=2005 |title=Identification of Volatile Components in Basil (''Ocimum basilicum'' L.) and Thyme Leaves (''Thymus vulgaris'' L.) and Their Antioxidant Properties |journal=Food Chemistry |volume=91 |pages=131–137 |doi=10.1016/j.foodchem.2004.05.056}}</ref> Other constituents include: [[1,8-cineole]], [[eugenol]], and [[myrcene]], among others.<ref name="simon" /><ref name="Breitmaier2006">{{Cite book |last=Eberhard Breitmaier |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=9yrbR2WZ8bwC&pg=PA11 |title=Terpenes: Flavors, Fragrances, Pharmaca, Pheromones |date=22 September 2006 |publisher=John Wiley & Sons |isbn=978-3-527-31786-8 |pages=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, ... |access-date=2 August 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131012210605/http://books.google.com/books?id=9yrbR2WZ8bwC&pg=PA11 |archive-date=12 October 2013 |url-status=live}}</ref> The [[clove]] scent of sweet basil is derived from eugenol.<ref name="Islam2011">{{Cite book |last=Md Shahidul Islam |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=TCMnYLLb758C&pg=PA50 |title=Transient Receptor Potential Channels |date=4 February 2011 |publisher=Springer |isbn=978-94-007-0265-3 |pages=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 ... |access-date=2 August 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131012221020/http://books.google.com/books?id=TCMnYLLb758C&pg=PA50 |archive-date=12 October 2013 |url-status=live}}</ref> The aroma profile of basil includes 1,8-cineole<ref name="suie">{{Cite journal |last=Johnson |first=B. Christopher |display-authors=etal |date=1999 |title=Substantial UV-B-mediated induction of essential oils in sweet basil (''Ocimum basilicum'' L.) |journal=[[Phytochemistry (journal)|Phytochemistry]] |volume=51 |issue=4 |pages=507–510 |doi=10.1016/S0031-9422(98)00767-5|bibcode=1999PChem..51..507J }}</ref><ref name="edsh">{{Cite journal |last1=Baritaux |first1=O. |last2=Richard |first2=H. |last3=Touche |first3=J. |last4=Derbesy |first4=M. |display-authors=etal |date=1992 |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 |doi=10.1002/ffj.2730070507}}</ref> and [[methyl eugenol]].<ref name="suie" /><ref name="mobg">{{Cite journal |last1=Miele |first1=Mariangela |last2=Dondero |first2=R |last3=Ciarallo |first3=G |last4=Mazzei |first4=M |display-authors=etal |date=2001 |title=Methyleugenol in ''Ocimum basilicum'' L. Cv. 'Genovese Gigante' |journal=Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry |volume=49 |issue=1 |pages=517–521 |doi=10.1021/jf000865w |pmid=11170620|bibcode=2001JAFC...49..517M }}</ref> In this species eugenol is [[Isoeugenol synthase|synthesised]] from [[coniferyl acetate]] and [[Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate|NADPH]].<ref name="Lin-et-al-2019">{{Cite journal |last1=Lin |first1=Jerry |last2=Massonnet |first2=Mélanie |last3=Cantu |first3=Dario |date=2019-07-01 |title=The genetic basis of grape and wine aroma |journal=[[Horticulture Research]] |publisher=[[Nature Portfolio|Nature]] + [[Nanjing Agricultural University]] |volume=6 |issue=1 |pages=1{{endash}}24 |doi=10.1038/s41438-019-0163-1 |issn=2052-7276 |pmc=6804543 |pmid=31645942|bibcode=2019HorR....6...81L }}</ref>

=== Similar species ===
Some similar species in the same genus may be commonly called "basil", although they are not varieties of ''Ocimum basilicum''.
* Camphor basil, African basil (''[[Ocimum kilimandscharicum|O. kilimandscharicum]]'')
* Clove basil, also African basil (''[[Ocimum gratissimum]]'')<ref name="tgte">{{Cite journal |last1=Fandohan |first1=P. |last2=Gnonlonfin |first2=B |last3=Laleye |first3=A |last4=Gbenou |first4=JD |last5=Darboux |first5=R |last6=Moudachirou |first6=M |display-authors=etal |date=2008 |title=Toxicity and gastric tolerance of essential oils from Cymbopogon citratus, Ocimum gratissimum and Ocimum basilicum in Wistar rats |journal=[[Food and Chemical Toxicology]] |volume=46 |issue=7 |pages=2493–2497 |doi=10.1016/j.fct.2008.04.006 |pmid=18511170}}</ref><ref name="aaeo">{{Cite journal |last1=Pessoa |first1=L. M. |last2=Morais |first2=SM |last3=Bevilaqua |first3=CM |last4=Luciano |first4=JH |date=2002 |title=Anthelmintic activity of essential oil of ''Ocimum gratissimum'' Linn. and eugenol against ''Haemonchus contortus'' |journal=[[Veterinary Parasitology (journal)|Veterinary Parasitology]] |volume=109 |issue=1–2 |pages=59–63 |doi=10.1016/S0304-4017(02)00253-4 |pmid=12383625}}</ref>
* [[Holy basil]] (''[[Ocimum tenuiflorum]]'', formerly known as ''O. sanctum'')<ref>{{Cite web |date=23 March 2012 |title=''Ocimum tenuiflorum'' L., Synonyms |url=http://www.theplantlist.org/tpl1.1/record/kew-137105 |access-date=28 November 2019 |publisher=The Plant List, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew and Missouri Botanical Gardens}}</ref>