Subshrub, stems ascending, nearly glabrous, brown. Leaves to 20 mm long, shortly stalked, ovate or oblong, often purple, hairless, glands inconspicuous. Flower spikes loose; bracts 8 mm long, ovate to obovate, acute, purplish, glabrous. Calyx 5 mm long, equally 5-lobed, glabrous. Corolla 12 mm, purple, lobes 1-2 mm long. Stamens 3-4.5 mm long, not protruding.
S Turkey, Cyprus
Known in cultivation in Australia by its cultivars and putative hybrids, some of which may be placed in O.vulgare.
Distinguished from O. vulgare by its hairless leaves, small loose flower spikes, short corolla lobes, and enclosed stamens.
Source: (2002). Origanum. In: . Horticultural Flora of South-eastern Australia. Volume 4. Flowering plants. Dicotyledons. Part 3. The identification of garden and cultivated plants. University of New South Wales Press.
