<Tr> <Td_colspan="2"> Salvia officinalis L . </Td> </Tr> <P> Salvia officinalis (sage, also called garden sage, common sage, or culinary sage) is a perennial, evergreen subshrub, with woody stems, grayish leaves, and blue to purplish flowers . It is a member of the mint family Lamiaceae and native to the Mediterranean region, though it has naturalized in many places throughout the world . It has a long history of medicinal and culinary use, and in modern times as an ornamental garden plant . The common name "sage" is also used for a number of related and unrelated species . </P> <P> Salvia officinalis has numerous common names . Some of the best - known are sage, common sage, garden sage, golden sage, kitchen sage, true sage, culinary sage, Dalmatian sage, and broadleaf sage . Cultivated forms include purple sage and red sage . The specific epithet officinalis refers to plants with a well - established medicinal or culinary value . </P> <P> Salvia officinalis was described by Carl Linnaeus in 1753 . It has been grown for centuries in the Old World for its food and healing properties, and was often described in old herbals for the many miraculous properties attributed to it . The specific epithet, officinalis, refers to the plant's medicinal use--the officina was the traditional storeroom of a monastery where herbs and medicines were stored . S. officinalis has been classified under many other scientific names over the years, including six different names since 1940 alone . It is the type species for the genus Salvia . </P>

What part of the sage plant is used