Ocimum dhofarense (Sebald) A.J.Paton

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Dhofari Basil

This plant flourishes during the monsoon rains in the mountains and has large broad leaves which were one of the most favoured sources of post-monsoon browse for camels. The remarkable flowers are one of the Jibbali msisi group (from the Jabbali root mss, to suck) which provide a droplet of nectar when the base of the flower is sucked hard after removal of the longest stamen. The leaves, as well as providing fodder for livestock, were gathered by women and crushed to exude a juice with which women stained their skin an orange-yellow, as women in the desert did with powdered Curcuma longa [J: kerkem, herd or with bastard saffron - Flemingia rodhocarpa (Maghania rodhocarpa) or Memecylon tinctorium [DA, J: wars]. The leaves, crushed and mixed with water, lathered up, to provide a very efficient frothy soap and shampoo. The juice from a squeezed plant was added to water, brought ... to the boil, strained and used as a lotion to treat skin sores, abrasions, chapping and other cutaneous conditions. It was particularly effective in treating the spreading leg sores [J: ska] that were common during the rainy season. The spots of measles [J: hasbet], chickenpox and German measles [J: adbet, D: el-gedi ah], and other skin eruptions and rashes were also treated successfully with this lotion. Itching resulting from allergies and hay fever too was soothed with a preparation made from the crushed leaves or by strapping some lightly crushed leaves over the itching part. Freshly squeezed juice was also painted around the eye to treat an inflamed and painful eye or to soothe the itchy and weeping eyes caused by allergies and hay fever, at its worst during the post-monsoon season when the pollen count is so high. Leaves were rubbed on the site of bites from the tiny biting flies [J: arnut, xanyut] that are the bane of the wooded areas in particular during the late monsoon and early post-monsoon serb season. A women preparing for a special occasion and wanting to look her best, would rub her skin with pounded indigo [J: nuz], leaving it on until just before the time of her appearance when she would wash it off with a solution of the crushed leaves of Ocimum dhofarense. The combination of the indigo stain with the dye imparted by the leaves of this plant left the skin pale, smooth and glowing, with a delicate bluey ting that echoed and set off the indigo-colour of the dresses and shawls that women used to wear in Dhofar". (Ref. Plants of Dhofar). In addition, Ghazanfar (2015) mentioned that: "Leaves traditionally used for soap, shampoo and as a skin dye. Also used for various medicinal conditions. Leaves used as fodder after the monsoon. The juice from the leaves has been used by women to stain skin an orange-yellow colour. Juice from plant has been used in traditional medicine to treat skin problems, itchy and irritated eyes and as a washing agent". (Ref Flora of Oman; vol. 3).

*Ghazanfar, S. (2015). Flora of the Sultanate of Oman, vol.3: Loganiaceae – Asteraceae. Meise, National Botanic Garden of Belgium (Scripta Botanica Begica, Vol. 25). ISBN 9789082352511 ISSN 0779-2387. *https://en.wikipedia.org *Miller, A., Morris, M. (1988). Plants of Dhofar, the Southern Region of Oman: Traditional, Economic, and Medicinal Uses. Published by Office of the Adviser for Conservation of the Environment, Diwan of Royal Court, Sultanate of Oman; ISBN 10: 0715708082 ISSN 13: 9780715708088. *Pickering, H. Patzelt, A. (2008). Field Guide to the Wild Plants of Oman. Kew publishing, Royal Botanic Garden, Kew. ISBN 9781842461778. *POWO (2023). ""Plants of the World Online. Facilitated by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Published on the Internet; http://www.plantsoftheworldonline.org *Patzelt, A. (2015). Oman Plant Red Data Book. Published by Diwan of Royal Court, Sultanate of Oman. Oman Botanic Garden Publication No. 1. ISBN 978-99969-50-10-0.