Origanum majorana, L.

Tutin, T. G., Heywood, V. H., Burges, N. A., Moore, D. M., Valentine, D. H., Walters, S. M. & Webb, D. A., 1972, Flora Europaea. Volume 3. Diapensiacea to Myoporaceae, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press : 171-172

5. O. majorana L. , Sp. Pl. 590 (1753)

(Majorana hortensis Moench ).

Annual, biennial or perennial herb; stems 20-60 cm, erect or ascending, glabrous to tomentose, not papillose. Leaves 5-20(-35) x 5 -10(—15) mm, ovate to elliptic-spathulate, obtuse or acute, rounded or attenuate at base, entire, grey- or whitetomentose to sparsely pilose and green; veins somewhat raised; lower leaves with petiole up to 15 mm, the others subsessile. Spicules 5-12 mm, globose, ovoid or oblong, densely grouped at the end of short branches, forming a narrow, terminal panicle. Bracts c. 3-4 mm, orbicular, tomentose, glandular-punctate. Calyx c. 2-5 mm, 1-lipped, with a deep slit on one side, ciliate. Corolla c. 4 mm, white, pale lilac or pink. Nutlets 0-75-1 mm, light brown. Cultivated as a pot-herb and locally naturalized in S. Europe. [Co He Hs It Ju.] (N. Africa, S. W. Asia.)

O. dubium Boiss. , Fl. Or. 4: 553 (1879), from the E. Mediterranean region, differs from 5 in its always perennial, suffruticose habit, white-tomentose leaves (at least when young) and corolla 6-7 mm, but is doubtfully a separate species. Its only European record from the Kikladhes (Naxos) has not been verified since Boissier’s original citation.