Question

Explain Tulsi leaf venation.

Answer 1

Hint: Holy basil often known as tulsi or tulasi, is a mint family (Lamiaceae) flowering plant grown for its scented leaves. Holy basil is a plant that thrives throughout Southeast Asia and is native to the Indian subcontinent.

Complete answer:
The plant is widely used in Ayurvedic and traditional medicine, and is revered in Hinduism. It is commonly used as a herbal tea for a range of diseases. It's also used as a culinary herb, with a strong flavour that gets stronger as it cooks. It has a peppery spice and is reminiscent of clove, Italian basil, and mint. In certain regions outside of its natural range, it is considered an agricultural weed and an invasive plant.
Holy basil is a small annual or short-lived perennial shrub that grows up to 1 metre (3.3 feet) tall. The hairy stems have simple toothed or whole leaves facing each other along the stem. Depending on the type, the fragrant leaves are green or purple.
The little purple or white tubular blooms are borne in terminal spikes and have green or purple sepals. Nutlets form the fruits, which produce a large number of seeds.
The venation on Tulsi leaves is reticulate. The veins on the leaves form a net-like appearance as a result of this. Most leaves with reticulate venation have a central vein that runs the length of the leaf. This is known as the mid-rib, and smaller veins branch out from here, forming a complex web of webs. Dicotyledons are the most prevalent plants with this style of venation.

Fig: Tulasi leaf

Note: In Hinduism, the holy basil plant is seen as a manifestation of the goddess Lakshmi (Tulsi), Vishnu's primary consort. Lord Krishna, an avatar of Vishnu, is reported to wear a garland of holy basil leaves and flowers around his neck.