156 ODOROGEAPIIIA. 



This charming species is common in gardens, and about the Temples 

 of the Hindus, over every part of India. It is in blossom most 

 part of the year. It has a short, erect, woody, round stem. The 

 bark has a thin, light-brown, scaly epidermis. Branches numerous. 

 The tender shoots clothed with much soft white hair. The general 

 height of the whole plant is from 2 to 3 feet. Leaves opposite, 

 petioled, ovate, oblong, crenate serrate, obtuse, downy, from 1 to 2 

 inches long. Petioles half the length of the leaves, downy. 

 Eacemes, terminal, solitary or triple. Flowers triple and opposite, 

 appearing verticelled ; of a pale greenish pink. Bractes opposite, 

 petioled, reniform, cordate, acute. 



Ocimum canum is very nearly allied to 0. Basilicum, hut the 

 flowers are not half the size, and the habit distinct. It is 

 herbaceous, erect, about one foot in height, pubescent. Its leaves 

 are petiolate, ovate, narrowed at both ends, almost quite entire, 

 canescent beneath ; petioles ciliated ; racemes simple ; calyces 

 longer than the pedicels, reflexed in the fructiferous state ; upper 

 tooth of calyx orbicular, concave, shortly acuminated ; corollas 

 white. The whole plant very aromatic. It is a native of 

 Madagascar, East Indies, China and Brazil. It is figured in the 

 Bot. Mag., t. 2452. 



Ocimum crispum, Tlmnb. Flor. Jap., p. 248, is another 

 fragrant species. It is a native of Japan, about Xagasaki. Its stem 

 is tetragonal, villous, branched. Leaves ovate-acuminate, serrate, 

 curled, petiolate, glabrous, purplish, an inch long ; calices hispid. 

 A decoction of this species is used in Japan to give a deep red 

 colour to radishes, turnips and various vegetables. The various 

 species of Ocimum are in all cases destitute of any deleterious 

 secretions, and are for the most part fragrant and aromatic. 



Other species of less importance (possessing little or no 

 fragrance) are Ocimum alhuni (Willd., iii., p. 160) ; Ocimum 

 polystachion (Willd., i., p. 365), and Ocymum titherosum, known as 

 Xeeru, or " Water tulasi," it growing in ditches and wet places, and 

 Ocimum tuberosum* a small perennial about a foot in height, 

 native of valleys among the Orissa mountains. Ocimum cristatum 

 and Ocimum inoclorum are entirely destitute of fragrance. 



All the above species are of easy culture and propagation. The 



* Eox. 6, Fl. Ind., iii., p. 18. 



