Origanum vulgare L.
wild marjoram
Rhizomatous perennial with hairy, usually branched, purplish stems c. 60 cm tall. Lvs shortly petiolate, 1.2-3 × 0.6-1.8 cm, ovate, or rhombic to suborbicular, entire or obscurely serrulate, ciliate, hairy and dotted with glands below, often becoming glabrous above. Infls dense, corymbose or paniculate, terminal and axillary; bracts 3-5 mm long, ovate, glabrous, often purple. Calyx c. 2.5 mm long, often purple, hairy outside, and with a prominent, long, white, pilose tuft in throat; teeth 0.5-1 mm long, almost regular, triangular. Corolla 4-7 mm long, pink or purplish, hairy outside; tube > calyx; limb 4-6 mm diam.; upper lip emarginate. Stamens exserted, lacking in the occasional ♀ plants. Nutlets 8-9 mm long.
S.: rather scattered but common locally, abundant in Queenstown area (C. Otago).
Europe, W. Asia 1944
Often a roadside weed, also in and around pastures up to c. 650 m, occasionally dominating open hillsides, cultivation escape.
FL Dec-Mar.
A number of subspp. and vars have been described for this very popular culinary herb. A greater range of forms are found in cultivation in N.Z. than occur wild.
