Rosmarinus officinalis L.   Lamiaceae  (Mint Family)   Mediterranean   Rosemary       Common Rosemary

                                          July Photo

Plant Characteristics: Evergreen shrub, .5-1.5 m. high; leaves narrow, numerous, linear with revolute margins, to 3.5 cm. long, obtuse, thick punctate, tomentose beneath; fls. light blue, about 12 mm. long in short axillary racemes, more or less tomentose, with minute bracts; calyx ovoid-campanulate, the limb 2-lipped, the upper lip very shortly 3-toothed, the lower 2-toothed; corolla bilabiate, the upper lip emarginate or 2-cleft, the lower strongly 3-lobed, with large middle lobe strongly concave and declined; perfect stamens 2; nutlets smooth, ovoid-subglobose.

Habitat:  Near seacoast as an escape from cultivation.  Year around blooming in warmer areas.

Name: Latin, rosmari-nus, sea-dew, the plant common on the chalk hills of the south of France and near the seacoast.  (Bailey 850).  Latin, officinalis, meaning the official Rosemary of long established use in ancient times.  (John Johnson).

General:  Rare in the study area, having only been found in one location and that on North Star Beach.  This plant was first noted in December 1982, at the very beginning of this study, it is still there at the time of this writing, February 2003. (my comment).      This herb is a tonic, strengthening and toning the muscles.  It is also an astringent, drawing tissues together and causing a cessation of fluid discharges.  In addition, it is a diaphoretic, increasing perspiration.  It has excellent effects on the stomach, increasing action in the stomach.  It acts as a nervine, lessening irritability of the nerves, and serves as a nerve sedative.  In this regard, it has been effective in relieving headaches.  It has also been recommended for use in preventing premature baldness by combining a solution of this herb with Borax.  The oil of the herb is used for treatments, with two or three drops of the oil sufficient for a dose.  For the hair treatment, pour a pint of boiling water over an ounce of the dried herb and mix the solution with one tablespoon of Borax to a cup of the solution.  (Kadans 173, 174).      The parts used in medicine are the flowering tops.  Arabian physicians probably were the first to recommend this fragrant herb as a tea.  Some folks add a few Lavender flowers, and a bit of lemon and honey.  Used to flavor hams, salt meats, roast beef, veal, lamb, gravies, sauces, poultry and rice.  When using the dried herb, allow leaves to steep several hours to soften before cooking.  When using on meats that require long cooking, sprinkle the herb upon food about an hour before it is finished cooking, to capture full bouquet of the herb.  Long cooking destroys the fine flavor of culinary herbs. A noted English physician wrote at the turn of the 20^th century "Rosemary wine, taken in small quantities, acts as a quieting cordial."  The wine is simply flavored by steeping the leaves in white wine and removing the herb when the desired flavor is obtained.  Ninon De Lenclos was that famous beauty of the old French Court who retained her youthful charms to such a degree that one of her grandsons fell in love with her when she was seventy.  He had never seen her before and everything ended respectably when he found out who she was.  Ninon took herbal baths and her secret formula included Lavender flowers, Rosemary leaves, dried mint, Comfrey root and Thyme.  (Meyer 108, 174, 184, 193, 211).       The only species in the genus.  (Bailey 850).

Text Ref:  Bailey 850.

Photo Ref:  Dec 3 82 # 10,11; July 1 83 # 15.

Identity: by R. De Ruff.

First Found:  December 1982.

Computer Ref:  Plant Data 70.

Plant specimen donated to UC Riverside in 2004.

Last edit 8/6/05.

                                   December Photo                                                                     December Photo