Perilla ocymoides Linnaeus var. crispa Bentham, Prodr. 12: 164. 1848; Dentidia nankinensis Loureiro; D. purpurascens Persoon; D. purpurea Poiret; Mentha reticulosa Hance; Ocimum crispum Thunberg; Perilla arguta Bentham; Perilla frutescens var. arguta (Bentham) Handel-Mazzetti; Perilla frutescens var. crispa (Thunberg) Handel-Mazzetti (1939); Perilla frutescens var. nankinensis (Loureiro) Britton; Perilla frutescens var. crispa Deane; Perilla nankinensis (Loureiro) Decaisne; Plectranthus nankinensis (Loureiro) Sprengel.

Leaves narrowly serrate, purple.

Leaves and flower clusters used as a condiment or salted and eaten. Leaves give a purplish red tint to salted fruits of Prunus mume. Cotyledons of seedlings also used as a condiment.

The nomenclature of this taxon is complex and depends on the interpretation of Bailey (1924). The oldest epithet at the specific rank is Ocimum crispum Thunberg (1784). The oldest epithet at the varietal rank is Perilla ocymoides var. crispa Bentham (1848) which is based on different material. This epithet should have been taken up by Britton (1894) who cited Bentham's taxon under his Perilla frutescens var. nankinensis based on Dentidia nankinensis Loureiro (1790), thus making that name illegitimate. Bailey ascribes the name taken up to Deane who gives a description and cites "var. nankinensis Bailey." It seems best to accept this as a reference to var. nankinensis Britton and thus indirectly to Bentham. If this is not done, then Deane's name must be accepted as new and ascribed directly to him.

Widely cultivated in China [Japan]