Origanum vulgare, 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

3. O. vulgare L. , Sp. Pl. 590 (1753)

(incl. O. dilatatum Klokov , O. vulgare subsp. viride (Boiss.) Hayek ).

Woody, rhizomatous perennial; stems up to 90 cm or more, usually branched above, pubescent, hirsute or velutinous, rarely glabrous. Leaves 10- 40(-50) x 4-25 mm, ovate, entire or shallowly crenate-serrate, glabrous or hairy, glandular-punctate, petiolate. Spicules 5-30 mm, ovoid, oblong, or prismatic, forming a corymb or panicle. Bracts 4-5 mm, as long as to nearly twice as long as calyx, ovate, not apiculate, hairy or glabrous, eglandular or sparsely glandular-punctate, herbaceous, violet-purple or greenish. Calyx yellow-glandular-punctate, hairy or glabrous. Corolla 4-7 mm, white or purplish-red. 2«=30,?32. M ost o f Europe. All except Az BI Cr Fa Is.

Extremely variable in colour and indumentum of bracts and calyx, shape and length of spicules, and colour of corolla. Many variants have been described as separate species or subspecies (cf. R. Soó & A. Borhidi, Ann. Univ. Sci. Budapest. Rolando Eötvös (Biol.) 9-10: 361-364 (1968)), but they do not form distinctly separable populations. Some variants with prismatic spicules 12-20 mm are frequently cultivated as a potherb.