Lippia graveolens

Lippia graveolens
"Mexican Oregano" redirects here. For other uses, see Oregano#Other plants called oregano.
Lippia graveolens
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
(unranked): Angiosperms
(unranked): Eudicots
(unranked): Asterids
Order: Lamiales
Family: Verbenaceae
Genus: Lippia
Species: L. graveolens
Binomial name
Lippia graveolens
Kunth[1]
Synonyms

Lippia berlandieri Schauer[2]

Lippia graveolens is a species of flowering plant in the verbena family, Verbenaceae, that 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 Redbrush Lippia, Orégano Cimmaron, Scented Lippia,[3] Mexican Oregano, and Scented Matgrass.[4] The specific epithet is derived from two Latin words: gravis, meaning "heavy", and oleo, meaning "scented".[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]

Uses

The essential oil of Redbrush Lippia 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]

References

  1. ^ a b "Lippia graveolens Kunth". Germplasm Resources Information Network. United States Department of Agriculture. 2002-09-13. http://www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/html/taxon.pl?101142. Retrieved 2010-01-22. 
  2. ^ a b c 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 9780881929942. http://books.google.com/books?id=Vn5Rd-Yo-g4C. 
  3. ^ a b "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. http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/ornamentals/nativeshrubs/lippiagrav.htm. Retrieved 2010-01-22. 
  4. ^ "Lippia graveolens Kunth". ITIS Standard Reports. Integrated Taxonomic Information System. http://www.itis.gov/servlet/SingleRpt/SingleRpt?search_topic=TSN&search_value=32068. Retrieved 2010-01-22. 
  5. ^ Gledhill, D. (2008). The Names of Plants (4 ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 184. ISBN 9780521866453. http://books.google.com/books?id=NJ6PyhVuecwC. 
  6. ^ Duke, James A. (2008). Duke's Handbook of Medicinal Plants of Latin America. CRC Press. pp. 414–415. ISBN 9781420043167. http://books.google.com/books?id=c8rg6rPsvUYC. 
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