IIIF Color HighRes
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| IIIF Color HighRes |
| Sino-Iranica : vol.1 |
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Citation Information
THE BASIL 587
leaf of the king," and denotes the basil.' The plant is esteemed for its leaves, which serve for culinary purposes to season soups or other dishes, and which have a flavor somewhat like cloves. The juice of the leaves is employed medicinally.
Indeed, as shown by our word "basil," it was under this Middle-Greek name, which did not exist in the period of classical antiquity, that the plant became known to the herbalists of Europe. Thus the celebrated JOHN GERARDE2 says, "The latter Grecians have called it basilikon: in shops likewise Basilicum, and Regium: in Spanish Albahaca:3 in French Basilic : in English Basill, Garden Basill, the greater Basill royall, the lesser Basill gentle, and Bush Basill." D. REMBERT DODOENS4 speaks of the basill royall or great basill, and says, "In this countrey the Herboristes do plante it in their gardens." There is much in favor of Sickenberger's supposition that the introduction of the basil into Europe may be due to the returning crusaders,' while the Arabic name adopted in Spain and Portugal suggests a Moorish transplantation into western Europe.
Two varieties are common throughout Persia and Russian Turkistan, — one with green and another with dark-red leaves.' According to Avicenna, it grows in the mountains of Ispahan.7 Abu Mansur sets forth its medicinal properties.' It is further cultivated throughout India, Malaya, and China.'
W. ROXBURGH10 states that Ocimum basilicum is a native of Persia, and was thence sent to the Botanic Garden at Calcutta under the Persian names debars-.ah and deban-macwassi. According to W.
1 POTT, Z. f. K. Morg., Vol. VII, 185o, p. 145. Osmanli fesligen or fesliyen is likewise based on the Greek word. According to the Century Dictionary, the word basil is of unknown origin. The Oxford Dictionary cites from Prior, "perhaps because the herb was used in some royal unguent, bath, or medicine,"— a baseless speculation, as in fact it was never used in this way.
2 The Herball or Generall Historie of Plantes, p. 547 (London, 1597).
Also alfabega, alhabega, alabega, Portuguese alfabaca (French fabrègue), from Arabic al-habak (rixani); the latter occurs in LECLERC, Traité des simples, Vol. I, P. 404.
4 Nievve Herball, translation of HENRY LYTE, p. 239 (London, 1578).
Cited in ACHUNDOW, Abu Mansur, p. 211.
KORZINSSI, O6erki rastitelnosti Turkestana, p. 51. SCHLIMMER mentions the two species Ocimum album and basilicum as occurring in Persia.
LECLERC, Traité des simples, Vol. III, p. 191.
s ACHUNDOW, Abu Mansur, pp. 66, 9o, 103.
9 FORBES and HEMSLEY, Journ. Linn. Soc., Vol. XXVI, p. 266; KING and GAMBLE, Materials for a Flora of the Malayan Peninsula, p. 702 (Perak, Penang, Malacca, perhaps only cultivated).
1° Flora Indica, p. 464.
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