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ROSEMARY , botanically Rosmarinus, a Labiate plant, the only representative of the genus and a native of the Mediterranean region . It is a lowSee also: shrub with linear leaves, dark See also: green above, See also: white beneath, and with margins rolled back on to the under face
.
The
See also: flowers are in small axillary clusters
.
Each has a two-lipped calyx, from which projects a bluish two-lipped corolla enclosing two stamens, the other two, which are generally See also: present in the See also: family, being deficient
.
The fruit consists of four smooth nutlets
.
Botanically the genus is near to See also: Salvia, but it differs in the shorter connective to the anther
.
Rosemary was highly esteemed by the ancients for its aromatic fragrance and medicinal uses
.
In See also: modern times it is valued mainly as a per-fume, for which purpose the oil is obtained by See also: distillation
.
It doubtless has slight stimulant properties, such as are See also: common to all volatile oils, which may account for the general belief in the efficacy of the plant in promoting the growth of the hair
.
Rosemary plays no unimportant See also: part in literature and folk-See also: lore, being esteemed as an emblem of remembrance
.
" There's rosemary, that's for remembrance," says Ophelia
.
Its use in connexion with funeral ceremonies is not See also: extinct in country places to this See also: day, and it was formerly much valued at wed-ding festivities
.
The name " See also: ros See also: marinus " or " ros See also: maris," literally " See also: sea-See also: dew," was probably given in allusion to its native
habitat in the neighbourhood of the sea
.
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