wild marjoram

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• oregano
• wild marjoram
• winter sweet

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Thymus origanum

Regional and Traditional Names

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and is classified under the phylum Streptophyta and class Equisetopsida. Within the subclass Magnoliidae, it is further organized into the order Lamiales and the family Lamiaceae. Finally, it is placed within the genus Origanum, specifically known as Origanum vulgare.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant exhibits a widespread presence across various regions of Northern Europe. Its distribution can be specifically traced through several key countries in the northern territories. For instance, it is documented to grow within the borders of Denmark and Finland. The species is also commonly found throughout the landscapes of Great Britain and Ireland. Finally, its geographical reach extends further north into the rugged terrain of Norway.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Origanum vulgare is characterized by a broad altitudinal distribution, ranging from lowlands at 100 m AMSL to high-altitude environments reaching a maximum of 3700 m AMSL, with a mean elevation of approximately 1800 m AMSL. This species typically thrives within diverse habitats, including forests, mountainous terrains, and shrubberies, where it can adapt to varying degrees of exposure and terrain. In terms of its symbiotic relationships with soil fungi, the plant does not form mycorrhizal associations.

Elevational range max:

3700 m AMSL

Elevational range mean:

1800 m AMSL

Elevational range min:

100 m AMSL

Habitat :

forest, mountains, shrubberies

Mycorrhiza :

no

Life history

The life history of Origanum vulgare is characterized by its status as a perennial plant, allowing it to persist through multiple growing seasons. As a hemicryptophyte, its perennating buds are located at the soil surface, protected by leaf litter or the earth during unfavorable conditions. The plant maintains an evergreen nature, retaining its foliage throughout various environmental shifts.

Deciduousness :

evergreen

Life form :

hemicryptophyte

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Origanum vulgare is characterized by its growth form as a non-woody herb and forb, functioning as a self-supporting plant rather than a climber or vine. As an independent species, it does not exhibit parasitic behavior and is strictly terrestrial in its ecological habit, lacking any epiphytic qualities. The plant's stature is variable, with a minimum height of 0.2 m and a mean height of approximately 0.504 m, although its maximum height can reach up to 13 m depending on specific environmental conditions and developmental stages.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

herb

Growth form :

forb

Parasite :

independent

Plant height max:

13 m

Plant height mean:

0.504 m

Plant height min:

0.2 m

Woodiness :

non-woody

Physiology

The physiology of Origanum vulgare is characterized by a C3 photosynthetic pathway, typical of many temperate medicinal herbs, and it does not function as a nitrogen fixer or a carnivorous organism. Its leaf morphology is defined by an ovate form, with leaf lengths ranging from a minimum of 1.5 cm to a maximum of 4 cm. The leaf width exhibits variability, with measurements spanning from a minimum of 0.8 cm to a maximum of 2.2 cm, resulting in a mean leaf width of 1.2 cm. These dimensions contribute to a mean leaf size of 5.11 cm², while the plant maintains a mean Specific Leaf Area (SLA) of 246.73 cm²/g, reflecting its structural efficiency in light interception and resource management.

Carnivory :

non-carnivorous

Leaf form :

ovate

Leaf length max:

4 cm

Leaf length min:

1.5 cm

Leaf size mean:

5.11 cm²

Leaf width max:

2.2 cm

Leaf width mean:

1.2 cm

Leaf width min:

0.8 cm

Nitrogen fixer :

no

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Specific Leaf Area (SLA) mean:

246.73 cm²/g

Reproduction

Reproduction in Origanum vulgare is achieved through sexual means, specifically via bisexual flowers that lack self-fertilization, necessitating biotic pollination to ensure genetic diversity. The flowering period typically commences in July and concludes in September, featuring pink-colored flowers that vary in length from 0.4 cm to 1 cm. The pollination syndrome is categorized as biotic, driven primarily by insects, with bees being a key pollinator. Following successful pollination, the plant produces dry fruits that contain a high volume of seeds, ranging from 101 to 1000 seeds per fruit. The seeds themselves are uniform in dimension, with a mean length, width, and volume of 8 mm and 0.081 mm³ respectively, and a mean mass of approximately 9.75e-05 g (ranging from a minimum of 6e-05 g to a maximum of 0.00015 g). Dispersal is characterized by an unspecialized approach, specifically utilizing epizoochory to spread seeds via animals. There is no evidence of asexual reproduction in this species.

Dispersal syndrome :

unspecialized

Dispersal syndrome :

epizoochorous

Flower colour :

pink

Flower length max:

1 cm

Flower length min:

0.4 cm

Flowering time :

Jul

Flowering time :

Sep

Fruit dryness :

dry

Pollination syndrome :

insect

Pollination syndrome :

bee

Pollination syndrome :

biotic

Reproduction asexual :

absent

Reproduction sexual :

bisexual

Seed length mean:

8 mm

Seed mass max:

0.00015 g

Seed mass mean:

9.74666666666667e-05 g

Seed mass min:

6e-05 g

Seed volume max:

0.081 mm³

Seed width mean:

8 mm

Seeds_per_fruit :

101-1000

Self fertilization :

absent

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Plant Parts

Origanum vulgare has 4 reported plant parts identified across 8 scientific publications and several other databases that are studied for medicinal purposes. The most consistently reported plant part include leaf, flower, seed, stem.

Leaf

1. Journal of arthropod-borne diseases
2. Molecular biology reports
3. Natural product research
4. Fish & shellfish immunology

Flower

1. Journal of ethnobiology and ethnomedicine
2. Natural product research

Seed

1. Antioxidants (Basel, Switzerland)

Stem

1. Molecular biology reports

Chemicals

Origanum vulgare has 147 reported phytochemicals identified across 8 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include CARVACROL, THYMOL, rosmarinic acid, Flavonoids, P-CYMENE.

CARVACROL

1. Dr. Duke
2. Molecular and cellular biochemistry
3. Current issues in molecular biology
4. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)
5. Current microbiology

THYMOL

1. Dr. Duke
2. Molecular and cellular biochemistry
3. Current issues in molecular biology
4. Current microbiology
5. ACS applied materials & interfaces

rosmarinic acid

1. Saudi pharmaceutical journal : SPJ : the official publication of the Saudi Pharmaceutical Society
2. Medicina (Kaunas, Lithuania)
3. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
4. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)
5. Natural product research

Flavonoids

1. Plant physiology and biochemistry : PPB
2. Saudi pharmaceutical journal : SPJ : the official publication of the Saudi Pharmaceutical Society
3. Parasites & vectors
4. Heliyon
5. Annales de cardiologie et d'angeiologie

P-CYMENE

1. Dr. Duke
2. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
3. Natural product communications
4. Natural product research
5. Journal of nematology

Linalool

1. Current microbiology
2. Avicenna journal of phytomedicine
3. Foods (Basel, Switzerland)
4. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Flavonoid

1. International journal of food science
2. Molecular biology reports
3. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

GAMMA-TERPINENE

1. Dr. Duke
2. Drug and chemical toxicology
3. Naunyn-Schmiedeberg's archives of pharmacology

IRON

1. International journal of food science
2. Journal of environmental and public health
3. BMC plant biology

Tannins

1. Indian journal of pharmaceutical sciences
2. Annales de cardiologie et d'angeiologie
3. International journal of environmental health research

Activities

Origanum vulgare has 174 reported activities identified across 8 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antioxidant, Antimicrobial, Antibacterial, Anticancer, Antiseptic.

Antioxidant

1. Dr. Duke
2. International journal of food science
3. Biopreservation and biobanking
4. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
5. BMC plant biology

Antimicrobial

1. Current issues in molecular biology
2. Antibiotics (Basel, Switzerland)
3. Nutrition and cancer
4. BMC plant biology
5. Foods (Basel, Switzerland)

Antibacterial

1. Dr. Duke
2. Biopreservation and biobanking
3. International journal of environmental health research
4. Scientific reports
5. Journal of traditional Chinese medicine = Chung i tsa chih ying wen pan

Anticancer

1. Dr. Duke
2. Current pharmaceutical design
3. Drug and chemical toxicology
4. Pharmaceutics
5. Pharmaceuticals (Basel, Switzerland)

Antiseptic

1. Dr. Duke
2. Biopreservation and biobanking
3. Pharmaceuticals (Basel, Switzerland)
4. Frontiers in microbiology

Antispasmodic

1. Dr. Duke
2. BMC plant biology
3. International journal of molecular sciences

Antiviral

1. Dr. Duke
2. BMC plant biology
3. Frontiers in microbiology

Analgesic

1. Dr. Duke
2. Biomedicine & pharmacotherapy = Biomedecine & pharmacotherapie

Antidiabetic

1. Journal of food science and technology
2. Natural product research

Antifungal

1. Molecular and cellular biochemistry
2. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Conditions

Origanum vulgare has 81 reported investigations on conditions identified across 8 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported conditions include oxidative stress, Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, COVID-19, Candida albicans.

Oxidative stress

1. International journal of food science
2. Biopreservation and biobanking
3. Saudi pharmaceutical journal : SPJ : the official publication of the Saudi Pharmaceutical Society
4. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)
5. Animals : an open access journal from MDPI

Escherichia coli

1. Indian journal of pharmaceutical sciences
2. Scientific reports
3. Foods (Basel, Switzerland)

Staphylococcus aureus

1. Indian journal of pharmaceutical sciences
2. Scientific reports
3. BioMed research international

Covid-19

1. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)
2. Turkish journal of biology = Turk biyoloji dergisi

Candida albicans

1. Molecular and cellular biochemistry
2. BioMed research international

Listeria monocytogenes

1. Acta biologica Hungarica
2. Foods (Basel, Switzerland)

Pseudomonas aeruginosa

1. Journal of intercultural ethnopharmacology
2. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Pseudomonas syringae

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
2. Frontiers in plant science

Antiviral

1. BMC plant biology
2. Frontiers in microbiology

Cancer

1. Pharmaceutics
2. Journal of food biochemistry

Preparations

Origanum vulgare has 43 reported preparations identified across 8 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported preparations include essential oils, extracts, essential oil, EOs, ethanolic extracts.

Essential oils

1. Foods (Basel, Switzerland)
2. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)
3. Letters in applied microbiology
4. Scientific reports
5. Fitoterapia

Extracts

1. Electrophoresis
2. Frontiers in bioscience (Elite edition)
3. Natural product research
4. Journal of ethnopharmacology
5. Journal of traditional Chinese medicine = Chung i tsa chih ying wen pan

Essential oil

1. Frontiers in nutrition
2. Journal of arthropod-borne diseases
3. Scientific reports
4. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
5. Letters in applied microbiology

Eos

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
2. BioMed research international

Ethanolic extracts

1. Nutrition and cancer
2. Frontiers in microbiology

Volatile oil

1. Zhong yao cai = Zhongyaocai = Journal of Chinese medicinal materials
2. Ayu

Alkaloid fractions

1. BioMed research international

Aqueous extract

1. Biopreservation and biobanking

Eo

1. Scientific reports

Essential oil

1. Life (Basel, Switzerland)