rosemary (redirected from Rosmarinus officinalis)

rosemary [ultimately from Lat.,=dew of the sea], widely cultivated evergreen and shrubby perennial (Rosmarinus officinalis) of the family Labiatae (mint family), fairly hardy and native to the Mediterranean region. It has small light-blue flowers. The aromatic leaves, whitish beneath, are used for seasoning, and the oil is used in perfume and medicine. From ancient times rosemary has been regarded as a token of constancy and remembrance. In Hamlet (iv:5) Ophelia says, "There's rosemary, that's for remembrance." There is a prostrate variety. Rosemary is classified in the division Magnoliophyta, class Magnoliopsida, order Lamiales, family Labiatae.

---

rosemary

Small perennial evergreen shrub (Rosmarinus officinalis) of the mint family whose leaves are used to flavour a wide variety of food. The bush grows 3–7.5 ft (1–2.3 m) tall and has short linear leaves that resemble curved pine needles, dark green and shiny above, white beneath. Bluish flowers grow in small clusters. Bees are particularly fond of rosemary. In ancient times rosemary was believed to strengthen memory; in literature and folklore it is an emblem of remembrance and fidelity. Native to the Mediterranean, it has been naturalized throughout Europe and temperate America.