An erect or procumbent , annual or perennial herb , often woody base. Stem angular , ribbed , simple or branched from the base , often with tinged purple colour . Leaves opposite , petiolate , ovate-elliptic or obovate -rounded , finely and softly pubescent on both sides . Flowers greenish white , numerous on axillary or terminal spikes . Fruit easily disarticulate , oblong or ovoid and utricle . Seed inverse or lenticular .

                  English          -  Holy basil

                  Hindi             -  Tulsi

                  Malayalam    -  Trittavu

                  Tamil             -  Tulasi

                  Kannada        -  Tulasi

•  Used  for  treating  cough  ,  asthma  ,  diarrhoea  ,  fever  ,  dysentery  ,  indigestion  ,  gastric  ailments  ,  etc  .
•  Fresh  flowers  are  used  for  treating  bronchitis  .
•  Leaves and  seeds  are  used  for  treating  malaria.
•  Entire  plant  is  used  for  nausea  and  vomiting  .
•  Antimicrobial  ,  anti  allergic  ,  antipyretic  ,  anti emetic  (  Mohan L et al , 2011 )  .