Type of Flower
Borage: Borage (Borago officinalis), besides known every bit a starflower, is an annual herb. It is native to the Mediterranean percentage together with has naturalized inward many other locales. It grows satisfactorily inward gardens inward the Great Britain climate, remaining inward the garden from twelvemonth to twelvemonth yesteryear self-seeding. The leaves are edible together with the flora is grown inward gardens for that move inward or together with then parts of Europe. The flora is besides commercially cultivated for borage seed petroleum extracted from its seeds.
It grows to a meridian of 60–100 cm (2.0–3.3 ft), together with is bristly or hairy all over the stems together with leaves; the leaves are alternate, simple, together with 5–15 cm (2.0–5.9 in) long. The flowers are complete, perfect amongst 5 narrow, triangular-pointed petals. Flowers are near oft bluish inward color, although pinkish flowers are sometimes observed. White flowered types are besides cultivated. The bluish blossom is genetically dominant over the white flower.The flowers arise along scorpioid cymes to shape large floral displays amongst multiple flowers blooming simultaneously, suggesting that borage has a high grade of geitonogamy (intra-plant pollination).It has an indeterminate increase habit which may Pb to prolific spreading. In temperate climate such every bit inward the UK, its flowering flavour is relatively long, from June to September. In milder climates, borage volition bloom continuously for near of the year.
Traditionally borage was cultivated for culinary together with medicinal uses, although today commercial tillage is mainly every bit an oilseed. The seed petroleum is desired every bit source of gamma-linolenic acid (GLA), for which borage is the highest known plant-based source (17-28%).The seed petroleum content is betwixt 26-38% together with inward add-on to GLA contains the obese acids palmitic acid (10-11%), stearic acid (3.5-4.5%), oleic acid (16-20%), linoleic acid (35-38%), eicosenoic acid (3.5-5.5%), erucic acid (1.5-3.5%), together with nervonic acid (1.5%). The petroleum is oft marketed every bit "starflower oil" or "borage oil" for uses every bit a GLA supplement, although salubrious adults volition typically create ample GLA through dietary linoleic acid.
Borage is used every bit either a fresh vegetable or a dried herb. As a fresh vegetable, borage amongst a cucumber-like taste, is oft used inward salads or every bit a garnish.The flower, which contains the non-toxic pyrrolizidine alkaloid (PA) thesinine has a sweetness honey-like gustation together with is 1 of the few genuinely blue-colored edible substances,is oft used to decorate desserts.It is notable that the leaves convey been establish to comprise small-scale amounts (2-10 ppm of dried herb) of the liver-toxic PAs intermedine, lycopsamine, amabiline together with supinine.Leaves comprise mainly the toxic lycopsamine besides amabiline together with the non-toxic saturated PA thesinine. PAs are besides acquaint inward borage seed oil, but may move removed depending on method of processing.
Vegetable utilization of borage is mutual inward Germany, inward the Castilian regions of Aragón together with Navarra, inward the Greek isle of Crete together with inward the northern Italian percentage of Liguria. Although oft used inward soups, 1 of the ameliorate known High German borage recipes is the Green Sauce made inward Frankfurt. In Italian Liguria, borage is unremarkably used every bit a filling of the traditional pasta ravioli together with pansoti. The leaves together with flowers were originally used inward Pimms earlier existence replaced yesteryear mint or cucumber peel. It is used to flavour pickled gherkins inward Poland.
References:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Borage