Lippia graveolens

Lippia graveolens, a species of flowering plant in the verbena family, Verbenaceae, is native to the southwestern United States (Texas and southern New Mexico), Mexico, and Central America as far south as Nicaragua.[1] Common names include Mexican oregano, redbrush lippia, orégano Cimmaron, scented lippia,[3] and scented matgrass.[4] The specific epithet is derived from two Latin words: gravis, meaning "heavy", and oleo, meaning "oil".[5] It is a shrub or small tree, reaching 1–2.7 m (3.3–8.9 ft) in height.[2] Fragrant white or yellowish flowers can be found on the plant throughout the year, especially after rains.[3]

"Mexican oregano" redirects here. For other uses, see Oregano § Other plants called "oregano".

Lippia graveolens
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Asterids
Order: Lamiales
Family: Verbenaceae
Genus: Lippia
Species:
L. graveolens
Binomial name
Lippia graveolens
Synonyms

Lippia berlandieri Schauer[2]

Uses

The essential oil of Lippia graveolens contains 0-81% thymol, 0-48% carvacrol, 3-30% para-cymene, and 0-15% eucalyptol. The first two components give the plant a flavor similar to oregano,[2] and the leaves are widely used as an herb in Mexico and Central America.[6]

gollark: It can reproduce if you "feed" it... combustible materials.
gollark: Isn't fire *kind of* alive too?
gollark: Or, well, a problem.
gollark: Yes, the problem is that if you define "alive" as "can reproduce", you call, say, sterile humans not alive.
gollark: There are... probably convincing arguments both ways, but the main thing is that they can't independently replicate.

References
  1. "Lippia graveolens". Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN). Agricultural Research Service (ARS), United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). Retrieved 2010-01-22.
  2. Tucker, Arthur O.; Thomas DeBaggio (2009). The Encyclopedia of Herbs: A Comprehensive Reference to Herbs of Flavor and Fragrance (2 ed.). Timber Press. pp. 298–299. ISBN 978-0-88192-994-2.
  3. "Red-brush, Redbrush Lippia, Oregano Cimmaron, Scented Lippia, Hierba Dulce, Romerillo de Monte, Te de Pais, Tarbay Lippia graveolens (L. berlandier)". Benny Simpson's Texas Native Shrubs. Texas A&M University. Retrieved 2010-01-22.
  4. "Lippia graveolens Kunth". ITIS Standard Reports. Integrated Taxonomic Information System. Retrieved 2010-01-22.
  5. Gledhill, D. (2008). The Names of Plants (4 ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 184. ISBN 978-0-521-86645-3.
  6. Duke, James A. (2008). Duke's Handbook of Medicinal Plants of Latin America. CRC Press. pp. 414–415. ISBN 978-1-4200-4316-7.


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