The instability of the purple pigments (anthocyanins) in purple basil varie
ties (Ocimum basilicum L.) limits their use as ornamental plants and as a p
otential anthocyanin source. Several self-pollinated generations of all pur
ple plants were unsuccessful in stabilizing anthocyanin expression. In this
study we investigated the inheritance and stability patterns of leaf trait
s using the Purple Ruffles variety. The results from the complete diallele
crosses indicated anthocyanin expression in vegetative tissue is controlled
by two dominant genes and ruffled leaf texture is controlled by a single r
ecessive gene. Genes controlling leaf margin and leaf base structures were
tightly linked to leaf texture. Essential oil production and oil constituen
ts in leaves did not change as a result of the reversion in color. Color st
ability in cuttings was affected by the environment and the location where
cuttings were taken. An accumulation of secondary metabolites (apigenin, ge
nistein, and kaempferol) in green-reverted sectors on purple leaves was det
ected using reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) ana
lysis; this suggested a potential block in the anthocyanin pathway. We hypo
thesize the reversion mutation is occurring in an anthocyanin regulatory ge
ne.