Family:
Lamiaceae Martinov

Origanum L.

This genus is accepted, and its native range is Macaronesia, Europe, Medit. to Central China.

[LKGF]

Harley, R.M. et al. (2004). Labiatae, in The Families and Genera of Vascular Plants (K. Kubitzki, ed. in chief) VI: 167-275. Springer-Verlag, Berlin, Heidelberg, New York.

Morphology General Habit
Subshrubs or perennial herbs, sometimes gynodioecious, aromatic, branched hairs in o. dictamnus l.
Morphology Leaves
Leaves rather small, entire or toothed, hairy or glabrous, rarely glaucous
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescence branched, sometimes paniculate to corymbose, spicate or spiciform, spikes elongate to subglobose, erect or nodding, often pedunculate, sometimes lax or few-flowered, or compact
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts
Bracts imbricate, often showy or brightly coloured
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracteoles
Bracteoles absent
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Flowers subsessile, single, or rarely in 2-8-flowered cymes in axils of all but lowest bracts
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx
Calyx actinomorphic and 5-lobed to strongly zygomorphic and 5- to 1-lobed: either 2-lipped, 3/2 to 1/2, lobes broadly triangular to lingulate, sometimes reduced, or calyx 1-lipped with posterior lip entire, rounded, bract-like with calyx-tube split almost
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla
Corolla 2-lipped, usually 5-lobed (2/3), white, pink or purple, lobes subequal, tube straight or curved, sometimes ventrally saccate, short or to 3 cm in o. amanum post
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens
Stamens 4, sometimes reduced or absent, usually unequal, ascending to divergent, anterior longer, usually exserted, posterior exserted to included, thecae divergent to divaricate, distinct
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Stigma
Stigma-lobes subequal
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Disc
Disc ± symmetrical
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Nutlets ovoid to apiculate, smooth.
Note
2n = 30 (32).  About 40 species. Many hybrids recorded. Ietswaart (1980) recognises 10 sections.
Distribution
Especially Mediterranean, extending through temperate Eurasia and Northern Africa, from Azores to Taiwan.  Introduced to America, Oceania and Russian Far East

[LKGF]
Use
Cultivated widely as culinary and medicinal herbs, especially O. vulgare L., O. onites L. and O. majorana L., some ornamental.  Native to:

Native to:

Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Altay, Austria, Azores, Baleares, Baltic States, Belarus, Belgium, Bulgaria, Buryatiya, Canary Is., Central European Rus, China North-Central, China South-Central, China Southeast, Corse, Cyprus, Czechoslovakia, Denmark, East Aegean Is., East European Russia, East Himalaya, Finland, France, Germany, Great Britain, Greece, Hungary, India, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Irkutsk, Italy, Kazakhstan, Kirgizstan, Krasnoyarsk, Kriti, Krym, Lebanon-Syria, Libya, Madeira, Morocco, Nepal, Netherlands, North Caucasus, North European Russi, Northwest European R, Norway, Pakistan, Palestine, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Sardegna, Saudi Arabia, Sicilia, Sinai, South European Russi, Spain, Svalbard, Sweden, Switzerland, Tadzhikistan, Taiwan, Tibet, Transcaucasus, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkey-in-Europe, Turkmenistan, Tuva, Ukraine, West Himalaya, West Siberia, Xinjiang, Yakutskiya, Yugoslavia

Introduced into:

Arkansas, British Columbia, California, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Juan Fernández Is., Maryland, Massachusetts, Mexico Southwest, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, New Zealand South, North Carolina, Nova Scotia, Ohio, Ontario, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Primorye, Prince Edward I., Québec, Venezuela, Vermont, Virginia, Washington

Origanum L. appears in other Kew resources:

First published in Sp. Pl.: 590 (1753)

Accepted by

  • Govaerts, R. (2003). World Checklist of Selected Plant Families Database in ACCESS: 1-216203. The Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

Literature

Lamiaceae Key Genus Fact Sheets

  • Amaracus Hill, Brit. Herb.: 381 (1756).
  • Beltokon Raf., Fl. Tellur. 3: 86 (1837).
  • Dictamnus Mill., Gard. Dict. Abr. ed. 4 (1754), nom. illeg.
  • Dictamnus Zinn, Cat. Pl. Gott.: 316 (1757), (1756), nom. illeg.
  • Harley RM, Atkins S, Budantsev AL, Cantino PD, Conn BJ, Grayer R, Harley MM, de Kok RPJ, Krestovskaja T, Morales R, Paton AJ, Ryding O, and Upson T. 2004. Labiatae, in The Families and Genera of Vascular Plants (K. Kubitzki, ed. in chief) VI: 167-275. Sp
  • Hofmannia Heist. ex Fabr., Enum.: 61 (1759).
  • Ietswaart, Leiden Bot. Ser. 4: 1-153 (1980), rev.
  • Majorana Mill., Gard. Dict. Abr. ed. 4 (1754).
  • Marum Mill., Gard. Dict. Abr. ed. 4 (1754).
  • Onites Raf., Fl. Tellur. 3: 86 (1837).
  • Origanum L., Sp. Pl. 2: 588 (1753)
  • Oroga Raf., Fl. Tellur. 3: 86 (1837).
  • Schizocalyx Scheele, Flora 26: 575 (1843).
  • Zatarendia Raf., Fl. Tellur. 3: 86 (1837).
  • × Majoranamaracus Rech.f., Repert. Spec. Nov. Regni Veg. 45: 95 (1938).
  • × Origanomajorana Domin, Preslia 13-15: 197 (1935).

  • Kew Backbone Distributions

    The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Selected Plant Families 2022. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and http://apps.kew.org/wcsp/
    © Copyright 2017 World Checklist of Selected Plant Families. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0

  • Kew Names and Taxonomic Backbone

    The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Selected Plant Families 2022. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and http://apps.kew.org/wcsp/
    © Copyright 2017 International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Selected Plant Families. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0

  • Lamiaceae Key Genus Fact Sheets

    Nina Davies, Gemma Bramley and Don Kirkup, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew
    http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0