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Rosmarinus
officinalis L.
Standardized Common
Name: Rosemary
Family: Lamiaceae (Labiatae)
Taxonomy: Rosmarinus includes two species of shrubs, both native to the
Mediterranean.
Description: Perennial shrub 1–2
m high; branches slender, branching often, erect to ascending. Leaves opposite,
evergreen, sessile, linear, 1.5–3.5 cm long, 2–4 mm broad, coriaceous; base
attenuate; apex obtuse; margins revolute; upper surface dark green, often turning
pale when dried, shallowly wrinkled; lower surface white, woolly-pubescent,
glandular-dotted, with conspicuous midrib. Inflorescence a short raceme of
verticillasters. Flowers pedicellate, bilabiate; pedicels bearing stellate
hairs. Calyx campanulate, bilabiate, 5–7 mm long, veined, with few stellate
hairs; upper lip entire, lower lip 2-lobed. Corolla bilabiate, 10–12 mm long,
pale blue; lower lip 3-lobed, with middle lobe largest. Stamens 2, protruding
from corolla. Style gynobasic. Fruit 4 nutlets.
Parts
in Commerce:
Leaves
Identification:
- Linear or very
narrowly lanceolate and appearing linear due to revolute margins
- At least 15 mm
long
- Apex obtuse
- Base attenuate,
without petiole
- Margins strongly
revolute
- Underside
densely white-woolly with branching hairs, also bearing glands
- Midrib prominent
beneath
- Upper surface
darker, somewhat pubescent when young, glabrous in older leaves
- Odor
characteristic, strong, aromatic
- Taste aromatic,
pungent, bitter
The
flowering tops are sometimes used as well, in which case the floral features
enumerated in the description may also be observed.
Adulterants: There is a second species of rosemary of limited distribution; its
leaves are much smaller than those of R. officinalis. Since rosemary is
virtually always cultivated, there is little likelihood of confusion with that
or any other species.
References:
do Amaral Franco J, da Rocha Afonso ML. Rosmarinus.
In: Tutin TG, Heywood VH, Burges NA,
et al., eds. Flora Europaea. Vol. 3. Cambridge: Cambridge University
Press; 1972:187.
Wichtl M, ed. Herbal Drugs and
Phytopharmaceuticals, 3rd English
ed. Stuttgart: medpharm Scientific Publishers and Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press;
2004:523–528.
Youngken HW. Text-Book of Pharmacognosy, 5th ed. Philadelphia, PA: The
Blakiston Company; 1943:727.
Figure 60: a–c, Rosmarinus officinalis flowering branch,
leaf and leaf close-up.
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