Holy Basil (Ocimum tenuiflorum) is a plant in the family Lamiaceae that is native throughout the Eastern World tropics and widespread as a cultivated plant and an escaped weed. It is an erect, much branched subshrub, 30-60 cm tall with hairy stems and simple, opposite, green leaves. Leaves have petioles, and are ovate, up to 5 cm long, usually slightly toothed. The purplish flowers are placed in close whorls on elongate racemes.