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Borage

2007 Schools Wikipedia Selection. Related subjects: Plants

                    iBorage
   Borage flower
   Borage flower
           Scientific classification

   Kingdom:  Plantae
   Division: Magnoliophyta
   Class:    Magnoliopsida
   Order:    Lamiales
   Family:   Boraginaceae
   Genus:    Borago
   Species:  B. officinalis

                                Binomial name

   Borago officinalis
   L.

   Borage (Borago officinalis or echium amoenum), also known as
   "starflower", (گل گاو زبان in Persian) is an annual herb originating in
   Syria, but naturalized throughout the Mediterranean region, as well as
   most of Europe, North Africa, and Iran. It grows to a height of 60-100
   cm, and is bristly-hairy all over the stems and leaves; the leaves are
   alternate, simple, and 5-15 cm long. The flowers are small, blue or
   pink, with five narrow, triangular-pointed petals. It produces plenty
   of seeds and thus continues to grow and spread prolifically from where
   it is first sown or planted. In milder climates, borage will bloom
   continuously for most of the year.
   Borage plant
   Enlarge
   Borage plant

   The leaves have been found to contain small amounts (10 ppm of dried
   herb) of the liver-toxic pyrrolizidine alkaloids: intermedine,
   lycopsamine, amabiline and supinine. They taste like fresh cucumber and
   are used in salads and soups especially in Germany. One of the better
   known recipes with borage is the Green Sauce made in Frankfurt.
   Frankfurter Grüne Sauce, as it is called in Germany, is made from seven
   herbs: parsley, chervil, chives, cress, sorrel, burnet and borage.

   The flower, which contains the non-toxic pyrrolizidine alkaloid
   thesinine, has a sweet honey-like taste and is often used to decorate
   desserts and dishes. If frozen into ice-cubes, the flowers become
   exotic drink coolers.

   The oil that is extracted from the seeds (marketed as "starflower oil"
   or "borage oil") is a good source of gamma-linolenic acid.

   Borage is also rich in oleic and palmitic acid, conferring a
   hypocholesterolemic effect. This oil, which has recently been
   commercialised, may regulate metabolism and the hormonal system, and is
   considered by many naturopathic practitioners to be a good remedy for
   PMS. Borage is also sometimes indicated to alleviate and heal colds,
   bronchitis, and respiratory infections in general for its
   anti-inflammatory and balsamic properties.
   Detail of flower
   Enlarge
   Detail of flower

                              Herbs and spices
     Herbs Basil · Bay leaf · Boldo · Borage · Chervil · Chives ·
        Coriander leaf (cilantro) · Curry leaf · Dill · Epazote ·
   Eryngium foetidum (long coriander) · Fennel · Holy basil · Houttuynia
               cordata · Hyssop · Lavender · Lemon grass ·
   Limnophila aromatica (rice paddy herb) · Lovage · Marjoram · Mint ·
Oregano · Parsley · Perilla · Rosemary · Rue · Sage · Savory · Sorrel ·
        Stevia · Tarragon · Thyme · Vietnamese coriander (rau ram)
    Spices African pepper · Ajwain (bishop's weed) · Allspice · Amchur
  (mango powder) · Anise · Asafoetida · Caraway · Cardamom · Cardamom,
  black · Cassia · Celery seed · Chili · Cinnamon · Clove · Coriander
     seed · Cubeb · Cumin · Cumin, black · Dill seed · Fenugreek ·
 Galangal · Garlic · Ginger · Grains of paradise · Horseradish · Juniper
 berry · Liquorice · Mace · Mahlab · Mustard, black · Mustard, white ·
 Nigella (kalonji) · Nutmeg · Paprika · Pepper, black · Pepper, green ·
    Pepper, pink · Pepper, white · Pomegranate seed (anardana) · Poppy
 seed · Saffron · Sarsaparilla · Sassafras · Sesame · Sichuan pepper ·
      Star anise · Sumac · Tamarind · Turmeric · Wasabi · Zedoary

   Retrieved from " http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Borage"
   This reference article is mainly selected from the English Wikipedia
   with only minor checks and changes (see www.wikipedia.org for details
   of authors and sources) and is available under the GNU Free
   Documentation License. See also our Disclaimer.
