From the ArcaMax Publishing, Trivia Newsletter:
http://www.arcamax.com/news/trivia/s-329219-664338
Despite its popularity as a seasoning, basil has a controversial history. Basil was a sacred plant in ancient Hindu religion, and it was handled warily by European herbalists of the Middle Ages, who feared it as a scorpion breeder.
This news arrived on: 04/06/2008