 | This article needs additional citations for verification. (April 2008) |
| Origanum dictamnus | |
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Scientific classification 
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| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Asterids |
| Order: | Lamiales |
| Family: | Lamiaceae |
| Genus: | Origanum |
| Species: | O. dictamnus
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| Binomial name | |
| Origanum dictamnus | |
| Synonyms[1] | |
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Origanum dictamnus, the dittany of Crete, Cretan dittany or hop marjoram, is a tender perennial plant that grows 20–30 cm high. It is known in Greek as δίκταμο (díktamo, cf. "dittany") or in the Cretan dialect as έρωντας (erontas, "love"). It is a therapeutic and aromatic plant that grows wild only on the mountainsides and gorges of the Greek island of Crete. It is widely used for food flavouring and medicinal purposes, in addition to featuring as an ornamental plant in gardens. This small, lanate shrub is easily recognised by the distinctive soft, woolly covering of white-grey hair on its stems and round green leaves, giving it a velvety texture. Its tiny rose-pink flowers are surrounded by brighter purple-pink bracts in summer and autumn.[2] The dittany is classified as vulnerable on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Plant Species 1997.[3]
- ^ "The Plant List: A Working List of All Plant Species". Retrieved 24 June 2015.
- ^ "Our Plants | Mostly Natives Nursery". Mostlynatives.com. Archived from the original on 2012-11-26. Retrieved 2013-07-24.
- ^ Walter, K.S. and Gillett, H.J. (1998) 1997 IUCN Red List of Threatened Plants. IUCN (The World Conservation Union), Gland, Switzerland and Cambridge, UK.