no.— Jacob's West Devon, and Cornw. FI.— Bab. FI. Batli. p. 30.— Dick. FI. 
Abred. p. 43.— Irv. Loud. FI. p. J34. — Luxf. Iteig. FI. p. 50.— Cow. FI. Guide, 
P- *0. — Mack. Catal. I’jj ol' Irel. p. 56. ; FI. Hibern. p. 220. — Origanum vulgare 
spontaneum , Ray’s Syn. p. 236. — Origanum Anglicum, John. Ger. p. 666. 
Localities. — In thickets and hedges, and on dry banks, in a lime-stone or 
gravelly soil ; frequent. 
Perennial. — Flowers from June to September. 
Root somewhat creeping, horizontal, brown, tufted with many 
fibres. Stems numerous, upright, from 8 inches to a foot and a 
half high, 4-cornered, purplish, leafy, clothed, more or less, with 
short recurved hairs ; branched and panicled at the summit. Leaves 
opposite, on short petioles, deflexed, bright green, more or less 
hairy, rarely almost smooth, entire or slightly serrated, minutely 
fringed, and besprinkled with rasinous dots on both sides. Floxvers 
m panicled, crowded, roundish, upright spikes. Bracleas egg- 
shaped, pointed, of a purplish colour, one undereach flower, longer 
than the calyx, smooth, or slightly hairy, and minutely serrated. 
Calyx tubular, with 5, upright, broadish, nearly equal, coloured 
teeth, striated, slightly hairy, covered with resinous dots; its mouth 
closed with dense, prominent, white hairs. Corolla light purple, 
slightly hairy, with a few scattered resinous glands, like those on 
the calyx ; Stamens as long, or longer than the corolla, but in some 
specimens they are shorter, and then the anthers appear to be des- 
titute of pollen. 
The habit of this species is very variable. There is a variety of 
it with white flowers and green bracteas, but it is rare. Mr. Bab- 
ington has observed it in a lane near Bath. Another variety with 
variegated leaves is frequently cultivated in gardens ; as is also the 
common one for culinary purposes. 
The wild Marjoram is a warm aromatic; the dried leaves, used 
instead of tea, are extremely grateful ; they are also employed in 
medicated baths and fomentations. The essential oil of this plant 
is so acrid, that it may be considered as a caustic, and was formerly 
much used with that intention by farriers ; in some parts of Sweden 
it is put into ale, to give it an intoxicating quality, and to prevent 
its turning sour ; a little cotton wool moistened with it, and put 
into the hollow of an aching tooth, often relieves the pain. It is 
also frequently used, mixed with olive oil, as a stimulating liniment 
against baldness, in rheumatic complaints, and against sprains and 
bruises. The tops will dye woollen cloth purple, and iinen of a 
reddish brown colour. Goats and sheep eat this plant ; horses are 
not fond of it ; cows refuse it. — Gerarde says, “ Organy given 
in wine is a remedy against the bitings and stingings of venomous 
beasts, and cureth them that have drunke opium, or the juice of 
• blacke poppy, or hemlockes, especially if it be given with wine 
and raisons of the sunne.” 
Parkinson ( Theat. Bot. p.16.) tells us, that “ A ntigonus, an ancient Greeke 
Author, in his Rhapsody or huddle of memorable reports, relateth a pretty fable 
of a Tortoise eating Origanum, when hee goes to fight with the Serpent, which 
when one had heedfully observed, he cut up the Origanum wheie it grew, and 
took it away ; whereof when the 'I ortoise was deprived, he perished by the venom- 
ous force of the Serpent. The same Antigonvs setteth downe there also another 
fable of the Ring-doves, who by putting Origanum into their wounds, were 
thereby cured. As also, that if the hills of Ants were stopped up with Origa- 
num and Brimstone, they would quickly Hie away.” 
