Micromeria graeca (L.) Benth.
Satureja graeca L.
Tam.: Talma.
Subshrub or shrublet, hermaphrodite, up to 50(70) cm in height. Stems erect, profusely branched from the base, quadrangular in cross section, with indumentum of short retrorse hairs. Leaves opposite, 7-14 × 1-7 mm, sessile; the lower leaves ovate, acute, glabrous or laxly hairy, with short hairs and sessile glands; the upper leaves narrowly lanceolate, with revolute margin and clear midrib on the underside, with antrorse short hairs. Flowers in spikes of spaced apart verticillasters, with lanceolate or linear-lanceolate bracts. Verticillasters with 2 lax dichasia, on peduncles 2-4 mm, and linear bracteoles up to 2 mm. Flowers shortly pedicellate. Calyx (3.5)4-6 mm, slightly hairy, with 5 subequal, linear-lanceolate, ciliate teeth. Corolla 5-6(7) mm, pinkish or purple. Nutlets c. 1 × 0.5 mm, ellipsoid.
Flowering:
February to August (November).
Fruiting:
About 2 months after flowering.
Habitat:
Grasslands, thickets, forest clearings, rocky outcrops and rocky terrain; indifferent to the type of substrate. Almost from sea level up to 1,500 m in altitude.
Distribution:
S Europe, SW Asia and NW Africa. In North Africa, it is found in the Mediterranean areas of Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia and Libya, where it can become fairly common.
Observations:
In North Africa, this species is represented by the type subspecies (M. graeca subsp. graeca), described above.
M. myrtifolia Boiss. & Hohen. is also a shrub up to 60 cm in height and profusely branched from the base. Leaves are smaller than in M. graeca, ovate or elliptical and acute; with narrower and shorter bracts; dichasia of verticillasters are very dense, sessile, and calyx and corolla smaller than in M. graeca. Distributed in the Eastern Mediterranean; in North Africa, it is found only in the Sinai Peninsula, in arid stony areas.
Another species, small in size but with somewhat lignified stems, at least at the base, is M. macrosiphon Coss. [Satureja macrosiphon (Coss.) Maire]; leaves 7-12 x 1.5-3 mm, flat or with a somewhat revolute margin, elliptic-lanceolate; calyx 4.5-6 mm and corolla 11-18 mm. Endemic to dry areas of Morocco (High Atlas and other territories in central-western Morocco).
Conservation status:
Fairly common species, in principle not considered threatened. Currently, they have not been assessed at a global level in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.