Satureia montana L.

An evergreen shrub of bushy shape, 1 to 11⁄2 ft high, aromatically scented; young shoots slender, downy. Leaves opposite, stalkless, narrowly oblanceolate or linear-oblong, pointed, tapered gradually to the base, not toothed, 1⁄2 to 11⁄4 in. long, 1⁄12 to 1⁄6 in. wide, greyish green beneath and freely dotted with oil-glands, bristly hairy on the margins. Flowers produced during July and August in axillary racemes 1⁄2 to 1 in. long and in whorls towards the end of the shoot, the whole forming a leafy panicle 3 to 6 in. long. Corolla white to purplish, 3⁄8 in. long, two-lipped; upper lip slightly notched, lower lip three-lobed. Calyx tubular, ten- to thirteen-ribbed, downy, with five awl-shaped teeth; stamens four.

Native of S. Europe eastwards to the Caucasus, and of N. Africa; long cultivated for its pleasing odour and as a flavouring agent in cookery. It was also used by the old herbalists in affections of a flatulent nature and Gerard remarks that it ‘doth prevail marvellously against winde.’

subsp. variegata (Host) P. W. Ball S. m. var. variegata (Host) Vis.; S. variegata Host – Inflorescence laxer, owing to the slightly longer, more spreading flower stalks. Calyx campanulate. Flowers lilac or violet, the lower lip with darker speckling (whence presumably the epithet variegata), deeper coloured than the upper lip. N.E. Italy and Dalmatia. The most ornamental race – and one of several, since the species is very variable.