1237

 Basilicum polystachyon(L.) Moench

Synonyms	:	Basilicum polystachyon var. stereocladum Briq.
Family	:	Lamiaceae
Local name	:	English- . Musk Basil
Flowering and fruiting period	:	Throughout year.
Distribution	:	tropical Africa through India,
Habitat	:	Found as a weed in open waste places, usually in humid soils,
Uses	:	The leaves are used to flavour food[3
Key Botanical Characters  Leaves are broadly ovate to oval-rhomboid, 2.6-7.5 x 2-4.3 cm, flat to wedge-shaped at base, tapering, irregularly rounded toothed, sawtoothed, thin, membranous, scaberulous above, hairless beneath. Leaf-stalks are 1.7-5 cm. Flowers are borne in linear racemes 5-6 cm long, verticils often 6-flowered. Floral leaves are inverted-spoon-shaped to oval-oblong, 1 mm long, aristate. Flower-stalks are 1 mm long, bristlyulous. Calyx is 1.75-2 mm long, longer in fruit; tube subswollen, 1.25 mm long, bristlyulous with gland tipped hairs at base without, somewhat inflated at base in front; upper lip broadly ovate, 0.75 x 1 mm, tapering; lower lip as long as upper, 4-toothed, the lateral ones triangular-ovate, the anterior ones triangular-lanceshaped, tapering, aristate. Flowers are 2.5-3 mm long, mauvish-pink