Origanum ( ) is a genus of herbaceous perennials and subshrubs in the family Lamiaceae, native to Europe, North Africa, and much of temperate Asia, where they are found in open or mountainous habitats. A few species also naturalized in scattered locations in North America and other regions. The plants have strongly aromatic leaves and abundant tubular flowers with long-lasting coloured bracts. The genus includes the important group of culinary herbs: marjoram (Origanum majorana) and oregano (Origanum vulgare). With their decorative bracts, Origanum species and cultivars are used as ornamental plants in the garden. The cultivars 'Kent Beauty' and 'Rosenkuppel' have received the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit. Origanum species are used as food plants by the larvae of some Lepidoptera species, including Coleophora albitarsella. Species Origanum acutidens (Hand.-Mazz.) Ietsw. - Turkey, Iraq Origanum × adanense Baser & H.Duman - Turkey (O. bargyli × O. laevigatum) Origanum × adonidis Mouterde - Lebanon (O. libanoticum × O. syriacum subsp. bevanii) Origanum akhdarense Ietsw. & Boulos - Cyrenaica region of eastern Libya Origanum amanum Post - Hatay region of Turkey Origanum × barbarae Bornm. - Lebanon (O. ehrenbergii × O. syriacum subsp. bevanii) Origanum bargyli Mouterde - Turkey, Syria Origanum bilgeri P.H.Davis - Antalya region of Turkey Origanum boissieri Ietsw. - Turkey Origanum calcaratum Juss. - Greece Origanum compactum Benth. - Spain, Morocco Origanum cordifolium (Montbret & Aucher ex Benth.) Vogel - Cyprus Origanum cyrenaicum Bég. & Vacc. - Cyrenaica region of eastern Libya Origanum dayi Post - Israel Origanum dictamnus L. – hop marjoram, Cretan dittany, dittany of Crete - endemic to Crete Origanum × dolichosiphon P.H.Davis - Seyhan region of Turkey (O. amanum × O. laevigatum) Origanum ehrenbergii Boiss. - Lebanon Origanum elongatum (Bonnet) Emb. & Maire - Morocco Origanum floribundum Munby - Algeria Origanum × haradjanii Rech.f - Turkey (O. laevigatum × O. syriacum subsp. bevanii) Origanum haussknechtii Boiss. - Turkey Origanum husnucan-baseri H.Duman, Aytac & A.Duran - Turkey Origanum hypericifolium O.Schwarz & P.H.Davis - Turkey Origanum × intercedens Rech.f. - Greece, Turkey (O. onites × O. vulgare subsp. hirtum) Origanum × intermedium P.H.Davis - Denizli region of Turkey (O. onites × O. sipyleum) Origanum isthmicum Danin - Sinai Origanum jordanicum Danin & Kunne - Jordan Origanum laevigatum Boiss. - Turkey, Syria, Cyprus Origanum leptocladum Boiss. - Turkey Origanum libanoticum Boiss. - Lebanon Origanum majorana L. – (sweet) marjoram - Turkey, Cyprus; naturalized in scattered locations in