590 Sino-Iranica 



herb. As it is localized in Sogdiana, it is perfectly justifiable to regard 

 the term as Sogdian; it may be, however, that the second component did 

 not form part of the Sogdian word, and is an addition of C'en Ts'an-k'i; 

 it is also possible that the term applies to another species of Ocimum or 

 to a peculiar variety of Ocimum basilicum, differentiated by cultiva- 

 tion. It is well known that the New-Persian word hot, bo ("scent, per- 

 fume") enters into composition with a number of aromatics; 1 and 

 Persian naz-bo is indeed a designation of the basil, and means "having 

 an agreeable odor." In the same manner we have Sanskrit gandhapatra 

 ("fragrant leaf, basil"). 



From India one or more species of Ocimum (basilicum, sanctum, 

 and gratissimum) spread into the Malayan Archipelago. The Sanskrit 

 term surasl or surasa has been adopted by Malayan sulasi, Javanese 

 selasih or sulasih, Sunda salasih. Javanese has likewise received tulasih 

 or telasih from Sanskrit tulasi. 2 The two surasa, the white and black 

 varieties of the Tulsl-plant, appear in the Bower Manuscript. 3 In the 

 folk-lore of India the plant plays an extensive r61e. 4 Odoric of Por- 

 denone relates, "In this country every man hath before his house a 

 plant of twigs as thick as a pillar would be here, and this never withers 

 as long as it gets water." Yule 5 justly comments that this plant is the 

 sacred tulasi {Ocimum sanctum). It is widely employed in the pharma- 

 copoeia of the Persians and Arabs. 6 Arabic terms are: badruj, xauk, 

 rixan, kebir, aqln, xamaxim. 



1 Hubschmann, Armen. Gram., p. 123. Cf . also above, p. 462; and Horn, 

 Neupers. Etymol., No. 240. 



2 Cf. H. Kern, Bijdragen tot de taal-, land- en voikenkunde, 1880, p. 564. 



3 Hoernle's edition, p. 22. There are also the forms suravalU, surasagrani, 

 and surasagraja, the two last-named relating ^o the white variety. 



4 Yule, Hobson-Jobson, p. 931. \ 



6 Cathay, new ed. by Cordier, Vol. II, p. 116. 



6 Leclerc, Traite des simples, Vol. I, pp. 92, 367, 403, 404, 456, 474; Vol. II, 

 pp. 100, 104, 191, 375, 390. 



