''Satureja'' is a

genus Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms as well as viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus comes above species and below family. In binomial n ...

of aromatic

plant Plants are predominantly Photosynthesis, photosynthetic eukaryotes of the Kingdom (biology), kingdom Plantae. Historically, the plant kingdom encompassed all living things that were not animals, and included algae and fungi; however, all curr ...

s of the

family Family (from la, familia) is a group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its members and of society. Idea ...

Lamiaceae The Lamiaceae ( ) or Labiatae are a family of flowering plants commonly known as the mint, deadnettle or sage family. Many of the plants are aromatic in all parts and include widely used culinary herbs like basil, mint, rosemary, sage, savo ...

, related to

rosemary ''Salvia rosmarinus'' (), commonly known as rosemary, is a shrub with fragrant, evergreen, needle-like leaves and white, pink, purple, or blue flowers, native to the Mediterranean region. Until 2017, it was known by the scientific name ''Rosma ...

and

thyme Thyme () is the herb (dried aerial parts) of some members of the genus ''Thymus'' of aromatic perennial evergreen herbs in the mint family Lamiaceae. Thymes are relatives of the oregano genus ''Origanum'', with both plants being mostly indigenous ...

. It is native to

North Africa North Africa, or Northern Africa is a region encompassing the northern portion of the African continent. There is no singularly accepted scope for the region, and it is sometimes defined as stretching from the Atlantic shores of Mauritania in t ...

, southern and southeastern

Europe Europe is a large peninsula conventionally considered a continent in its own right because of its great physical size and the weight of its history and traditions. Europe is also considered a subcontinent of Eurasia and it is located enti ...

, the

Middle East The Middle East ( ar, الشرق الأوسط, ISO 233: ) is a geopolitical region commonly encompassing Arabia (including the Arabian Peninsula and Bahrain), Asia Minor (Asian part of Turkey except Hatay Province), East Thrace (Europ ...

, and

Central Asia Central Asia, also known as Middle Asia, is a region of Asia that stretches from the Caspian Sea in the west to western China and Mongolia in the east, and from Afghanistan and Iran in the south to Russia in the north. It includes the former ...

. A few

New World The term ''New World'' is often used to mean the majority of Earth's Western Hemisphere, specifically the Americas."America." ''The Oxford Companion to the English Language'' (). McArthur, Tom, ed., 1992. New York: Oxford University Press, p. ...

species were formerly included in ''Satureja'', but they have all been moved to other genera. Several species are cultivated as culinary herbs called savory, and they have become established in the wild in a few places.

Description

''Satureja'' species may be

annual Annual may refer to: * Annual publication, periodical publications appearing regularly once per year **Yearbook **Literary annual * Annual plant *Annual report *Annual giving *Annual, Morocco, a settlement in northeastern Morocco *Annuals (band), ...

perennial A perennial plant or simply perennial is a plant that lives more than two years. The term ('' per-'' + '' -ennial'', "through the years") is often used to differentiate a plant from shorter-lived annuals and biennials. The term is also wide ...

. They are low-growing

herb In general use, herbs are a widely distributed and widespread group of plants, excluding vegetables and other plants consumed for macronutrients, with savory or aromatic properties that are used for flavoring and garnishing food, for medicina ...

s and

subshrub A subshrub ( Latin ''suffrutex'') or dwarf shrub is a short shrub, and is a woody plant. Prostrate shrub is a related term. "Subshrub" is often used interchangeably with "bush".Jackson, Benjamin, Daydon; A Glossary of Botanic Terms with their ...

s, reaching heights of . The leaves are long, with

flower A flower, sometimes known as a bloom or blossom, is the reproductive structure found in flowering plants (plants of the division Angiospermae). The biological function of a flower is to facilitate reproduction, usually by providing a mechanism ...

s forming in whorls on the stem, white to pale pink-violet.

Ecology and cultivation

''Satureja'' species are food plants for the

larva A larva (; plural larvae ) is a distinct juvenile form many animals undergo before metamorphosis into adults. Animals with indirect development such as insects, amphibians, or cnidarians typically have a larval phase of their life cycle. Th ...

of some Lepidoptera (

butterflies Butterflies are insects in the macrolepidopteran clade Rhopalocera from the order Lepidoptera, which also includes moths. Adult butterflies have large, often brightly coloured wings, and conspicuous, fluttering flight. The group comprises t ...

and

moth Moths are a paraphyletic group of insects that includes all members of the order Lepidoptera that are not butterflies, with moths making up the vast majority of the order. There are thought to be approximately 160,000 species of moth, many of ...

s). Caterpillars of the moth ''

Coleophora bifrondella ''Coleophora bifrondella'' is a moth of the family Coleophoridae. It is found in Spain, France and Italy Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in t ...

'' feed exclusively on winter savory (''S. montana''). Savory may be grown purely for ornamental purposes; members of the genus need sun and well-drained soil.

Uses

Both

summer savory Summer savory (''Satureja hortensis'') is among the best known of the savory genus. It is an annual, but otherwise is similar in use and flavor to the perennial winter savory. It is used more often than winter savory, which has a slightly more ...

(''Satureja hortensis'') and

winter savory ''Satureja montana'' (winter savory or mountain savory), is a perennial, semi-evergreen herb in the family Lamiaceae, native to warm temperate regions of southern Europe, the Mediterranean, and Africa. It has dark green leaves and summer flower ...

(''Satureja montana'') are used to flavor food. The former is preferred by cooks but as an annual is only available in summer; winter savory is an evergreen perennial. Savory plays an important part in

Armenian Armenian may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to Armenia, a country in the South Caucasus region of Eurasia * Armenians, the national people of Armenia, or people of Armenian descent ** Armenian Diaspora, Armenian communities across the ...

, Georgian, Bulgarian and

Italian cuisine Italian cuisine (, ) is a Mediterranean cuisine David 1988, Introduction, pp.101–103 consisting of the ingredients, recipes and cooking techniques developed across the Italian Peninsula and later spread around the world together with w ...

, particularly when cooking beans. It is also used to season the traditional

Acadian The Acadians (french: Acadiens , ) are an ethnic group descended from the French who settled in the New France colony of Acadia during the 17th and 18th centuries. Most Acadians live in the region of Acadia, as it is the region where the ...

stew known as '. Savory is also a key ingredient in '' sarmale'', a stuffed cabbage dish in traditional

Romanian Romanian may refer to: *anything of, from, or related to the country and nation of Romania **Romanians, an ethnic group **Romanian language, a Romance language *** Romanian dialects, variants of the Romanian language **Romanian cuisine, traditiona ...

cuisine. The modern spice mixture Herbes de Provence has savory as one of the principal ingredients. In

Azerbaijan Azerbaijan (, ; az, Azərbaycan ), officially the Republic of Azerbaijan, , also sometimes officially called the Azerbaijan Republic is a transcontinental country located at the boundary of Eastern Europe and Western Asia. It is a part of th ...

, savory is often incorporated as a flavoring in black tea.

Species

* '' Satureja adamovicii'' Šilic – Balkans * '' Satureja aintabensis'' P.H.Davis – Turkey * ''

Satureja amani ''Satureja'' is a genus of aromatic plants of the family Lamiaceae, related to rosemary and thyme. It is native to North Africa, southern and southeastern Europe, the Middle East, and Central Asia. A few New World species were formerly included i ...

'' P.H.Davis – Turkey * ''

Satureja atropatana ''Satureja'' is a genus of aromatic plants of the family Lamiaceae, related to rosemary and thyme. It is native to North Africa, southern and southeastern Europe, the Middle East, and Central Asia. A few New World species were formerly included ...

'' Bunge – Iran * '' Satureja avromanica'' Maroofi – Iran * '' Satureja bachtiarica'' Bunge – Iran * '' Satureja boissieri'' Hausskn. ex Boiss. – Turkey, Iran * '' Satureja bzybica'' Woronow – Caucasus * '' Satureja × caroli-paui'' G.López – Spain ''(S. innota × S. montana)'' * ''

Satureja cilicica ''Satureja'' is a genus of aromatic plants of the family Lamiaceae, related to rosemary and thyme. It is native to North Africa, southern and southeastern Europe, the Middle East, and Central Asia. A few New World species were formerly included i ...

'' P.H.Davis – Turkey * ''

Satureja coerulea ''Satureja coerulea'', called blue savory, is a species of flowering plant in the genus '' Satureja'', native to Bulgaria, Romania, and Turkey, including East Thrace. A perennial reaching 25cm, it has gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Awa ...

'' Janka – Bulgaria, Romania, Turkey * ''

Satureja cuneifolia ''Satureja'' is a genus of aromatic plants of the family Lamiaceae, related to rosemary and thyme. It is native to North Africa, southern and southeastern Europe, the Middle East, and Central Asia. A few New World species were formerly included i ...

'' Ten – Spain, Italy, Greece, Albania, Yugoslavia, Iraq * '' Satureja × delpozoi'' Sánchez-Gómez, J.F.Jiménez & R.Morales – Spain ''(S. cuneifolia × S. intricata var. gracilis)'' * ''

Satureja edmondii ''Satureja'' is a genus of aromatic plants of the family (biology), family Lamiaceae, related to rosemary and thyme. It is native to North Africa, southern and southeastern Europe, the Middle East, and Central Asia. A few New World species were f ...

'' Briq. – Iran ** A recent study found the essential oils of Satureja ''edmondii'' have antimicrobial properties and can protect food from '' S. aureus''. The test was conducted on commercial soup products. * '' Satureja × exspectata'' G.López – Spain ''(S. intricata var. gracilis × S. montana)'' * ''

Satureja fukarekii ''Satureja'' is a genus of aromatic plants of the family Lamiaceae, related to rosemary and thyme. It is native to North Africa, southern and southeastern Europe, the Middle East, and Central Asia. A few New World species were formerly ...

'' Šilic – Yugoslavia * '' Satureja hellenica'' Halácsy – Greece * ''

Satureja hortensis Summer savory (''Satureja hortensis'') is among the best known of the savory genus. It is an annual, but otherwise is similar in use and flavor to the perennial winter savory. It is used more often than winter savory, which has a slightly more ...

'' L. – summer savory – Italy, Bulgaria, Albania, Yugoslavia, Crimea, Caucasus, Altai Republic, Kazakhstan, Xinjiang, western Himalayas; naturalized in western Mediterranean, Persian Gulf sheikdoms, Cuba, Dominican Republic, scattered locations in United States ** The heterogeneous mixture of the ''Satureja hortensis L.'' essential oil in water serves as a natural herbicide. The addition of this mixture inhibits the root elongation of weeds which reduces the weed's root-to-shoot ratio. This further reduces the weed's cell division and inhibits its germination, growth, and physiological processes. * '' Satureja horvatii'' Šilic – Greece, Yugoslavia * ''

Satureja icarica ''Satureja'' is a genus of aromatic plants of the family Lamiaceae, related to rosemary and thyme. It is native to North Africa, southern and southeastern Europe, the Middle East, and Central Asia. A few New World species were formerly included i ...

'' P.H.Davis – Greek Islands * ''

Satureja innota ''Satureja'' is a genus of aromatic plants of the family Lamiaceae, related to rosemary and thyme. It is native to North Africa, southern and southeastern Europe, the Middle East, and Central Asia. A few New World species were formerly included i ...

'' (Pau) Font Quer – Spain * '' Satureja intermedia'' C.A.Mey. – Iran, Caucasus * ''

Satureja intricata ''Satureja'' is a genus of aromatic plants of the family Lamiaceae, related to rosemary and thyme. It is native to North Africa, southern and southeastern Europe, the Middle East, and Central Asia. A few New World species were formerly ...

'' Lange – Spain * '' Satureja isophylla'' Rech.f. – Iran * '' Satureja kallarica'' Jamzad – Iran * '' Satureja kermanshahensis'' Jamzad – Iran * '' Satureja khuzistanica'' Jamzad – Iran **Essential oils of ''Satureja khuzistanica'' have been shown to have anti-inflammatory properties which can be useful in medical treatments. A recent study found that higher concentrations of essential oils of ''Satureja khuzistanica '' helped reduce adverse effects of traumatic brain injuries in rats. * '' Satureja kitaibelii'' Wierzb. ex Heuff. – Bulgaria, Romania, Yugoslavia * '' Satureja laxiflora'' K.Koch – Iran, Iraq, Turkey, Caucasus * '' Satureja linearifolia'' (Brullo & Furnari) Greuter – Cyrenaica region of Libya * ''

Satureja macrantha ''Satureja'' is a genus of aromatic plants of the family Lamiaceae, related to rosemary and thyme. It is native to North Africa, southern and southeastern Europe, the Middle East, and Central Asia. A few New World species were formerly included i ...

'' C.A.Mey. – Iran, Iraq, Turkey, Caucasus * '' Satureja metastasiantha'' Rech.f. – Iraq * ''

Satureja montana ''Satureja montana'' (winter savory or mountain savory), is a perennial, semi-evergreen herb in the family Lamiaceae, native to warm temperate regions of southern Europe, the Mediterranean, and Africa. It has dark green leaves and summer flower ...

'' L. – winter savory – southern Europe, Turkey, Syria * ''

Satureja mutica ''Satureja'' is a genus of aromatic plants of the family Lamiaceae, related to rosemary and thyme. It is native to North Africa, southern and southeastern Europe, the Middle East, and Central Asia. A few New World species were formerly included i ...

'' Fisch. & C.A.Mey. – Caucasus, Iran, Turkmenistan * '' Satureja nabateorum'' Danin & Hedge – Jordan * '' Satureja × orjenii'' Šilic – Yugoslavia ''(S. horvatii × S. montana)'' * ''

Satureja pallaryi ''Satureja'' is a genus of aromatic plants of the family (biology), family Lamiaceae, related to rosemary and thyme. It is native to North Africa, southern and southeastern Europe, the Middle East, and Central Asia. A few New World species were f ...

'' J.Thiébaut – Syria * ''

Satureja parnassica ''Satureja'' is a genus of aromatic plants of the family Lamiaceae, related to rosemary and thyme. It is native to North Africa, southern and southeastern Europe, the Middle East, and Central Asia. A few New World species were formerly ...

'' Heldr. & Sart. ex Boiss. – Greece, Turkey * '' Satureja pilosa'' Velen. – Italy, Greece, Bulgaria * '' Satureja rumelica'' Velen. – Bulgaria * ''

Satureja sahendica ''Satureja'' is a genus of aromatic plants of the family Lamiaceae, related to rosemary and thyme. It is native to North Africa, southern and southeastern Europe, the Middle East, and Central Asia. A few New World species were formerly ...

'' Bornm. – Iran * '' Satureja salzmannii'' (Kuntze) P.W.Ball – Morocco, Spain * ''

Satureja spicigera ''Satureja spicigera'', the creeping savory, is a species of flowering plant in the family Lamiaceae. It is native to northeastern Turkey, the Caucasus, and northwestern Iran. A perennial prostrate shrub, hardy in Hardiness zone, USDA zones 6 thr ...

'' (K.Koch) Boiss. – Turkey, Iran, Caucasus * ''

Satureja spinosa ''Satureja'' is a genus of aromatic plants of the family (biology), family Lamiaceae, related to rosemary and thyme. It is native to North Africa, southern and southeastern Europe, the Middle East, and Central Asia. A few New World species were f ...

'' L. – Turkey, Greek Islands including Crete * '' Satureja subspicata'' Bartl. ex Vis. – Austria, Yugoslavia, Albania, Bulgaria, Italy * '' Satureja taurica'' Velen. – Crimea * ''

Satureja thymbra ''Satureja thymbra'', commonly known as savory of Crete, whorled savory, pink savory, and Roman hyssop ( Arabic: ''za'atar rumi''; ''za'atar franji''), is a perennial-green dwarf shrub of the family Lamiaceae, having strongly scented leaves, ende ...

'' L. – Libya, southeastern Europe from Sardinia to Turkey; Cyprus, Lebanon, Palestine * ''

Satureja thymbrifolia ''Satureja'' is a genus of aromatic plants of the family Lamiaceae, related to rosemary and thyme. It is native to North Africa, southern and southeastern Europe, the Middle East, and Central Asia. A few New World species were formerly included i ...

'' Hedge & Feinbrun – Israel, Saudi Arabia * ''

Satureja visianii ''Satureja'' is a genus of aromatic plants of the family Lamiaceae, related to rosemary and thyme. It is native to North Africa, southern and southeastern Europe, the Middle East, and Central Asia. A few New World species were formerly ...

'' Šilic. – Yugoslavia * '' Satureja wiedemanniana'' (Avé-Lall.) Velen. – Turkey

Formerly in ''Satureja''

* Browne's savory, '' Clinopodium brownei'' (as ''Satureja brownei'') * San Miguel Savory, '' Clinopodium chandleri'' (as ''Satureja chandleri'') * Large-flowered calamint, '' Calamintha grandiflora'' (as ''Satureja grandiflora'') * Stone mint, ''

Cunila mariana ''Cunila origanoides'', with the common names stone mint, frost mint, dittany, and American dittany, is a perennial late-summer-flowering subshrub with small purple flowers that is native to the central and eastern United States. It belongs to th ...

'' (as ''Satureja origanoides'') *''

Satureja acinos ''Satureja'' is a genus of aromatic plants of the family Lamiaceae, related to rosemary and thyme. It is native to North Africa, southern and southeastern Europe, the Middle East, and Central Asia. A few New World species were formerly included i ...

'' (L.) Scheele = '' Clinopodium acinos'' (L.) Kuntze * ''

Satureja alpina ''Satureja'' is a genus of aromatic plants of the family Lamiaceae, related to rosemary and thyme. It is native to North Africa, southern and southeastern Europe, the Middle East, and Central Asia. A few New World species were formerly included i ...

'' (L.) Scheele = ''

Clinopodium alpinum ''Clinopodium'' is a genus of flowering plants in the family Lamiaceae. It is in the tribe Mentheae of the subfamily Nepetoideae, but little else can be said with certainty about its phylogenetic position. The genus name ''Clinopodium'' is deri ...

'' (L.) Kuntze * '' Satureja biflora'' (Buch.-Ham. ex D.Don) Benth = ''

Micromeria biflora ''Micromeria'' is a genus of flowering plants in the mint family, Lamiaceae, widespread across Europe, Asia, Africa, and North America, with a center of diversity in the Mediterranean region and the Canary Islands. It is sometimes placed within ...

'' (Buch.-Ham. ex D.Don) Benth * ''

Satureja gillesii ''Satureja gillesii'' is a plant in the family Lamiaceae (the mint family). Certain organic chemicals are derived from this species, which are useful to humans. ''S. gillesii'' occurs in parts of South America, one instance being in central Chile ...

'' (Graham) Briq. = '' Clinopodium chilense'' (Benth.) Govaerts * '' Satureja mexicana'' (Benth.) Briq. = '' Clinopodium mexicanum'' (Benth.) Govaerts * '' Satureja multiflora'' (Ruiz & Pav.) Briq. – Chilean shrub mint = '' Clinopodium multiflorum'' (Ruiz & Pav.) Kuntze * '' Satureja palmeri'' (A.Gray) Briq. (believed extinct; rediscovered 2001) = '' Clinopodium palmeri'' (A.Gray) Kuntze * '' Satureja paradoxa'' (Vatke) Engl. ex Seybold = '' Clinopodium paradoxum'' (Vatke) Ryding * '' Satureja robusta'' (Hook.f) Brenan = '' Clinopodium robustum'' (Hook.f) Ryding * ''

Satureja viminea ''Satureja'' is a genus of aromatic plants of the family Lamiaceae, related to rosemary and thyme. It is native to North Africa, southern and southeastern Europe, the Middle East, and Central Asia. A few New World species were formerly ...

'' L. – serpentine savory = '' Clinopodium vimineum'' (L.) Kuntze * ''

Satureja vulgaris ''Clinopodium vulgare'', the wild basil, is a species of flowering plant in the family Lamiaceae. Description Wild basil is a perennial rhizomatous herb with square, upright, hairy stems and opposite pairs of leaves. The leaves are hairy, ovat ...

'' (L.) Fritschl = '' Clinopodium vulgare'' L. * ''

Satureja vernayana ''Satureja'' is a genus of aromatic plants of the family Lamiaceae, related to rosemary and thyme. It is native to North Africa, southern and southeastern Europe, the Middle East, and Central Asia. A few New World species were formerly ...

'' Brenan = '' Clinopodium vernayanum'' (Brenan) Ryding * '' Satureja douglasii'' (Benth.) Briq. – yerba buena (syn. ''S. chamissonis'') =

Micromeria douglasii ''Clinopodium douglasii'', or yerba buena, is a rambling aromatic herb of western and northwestern North America, ranging from maritime Alaska southwards to California. The plant takes the form of a sprawling, mat-forming perennial, and is especi ...

Benth

Etymology

The etymology of the Latin word "satureia" is unclear. Speculation that it is related to ''saturare'',F. E. J. Valpy, ''An Etymological Dictionary of the Latin Language'', 1828, p. 542. to ''

satyr In Greek mythology, a satyr ( grc-gre, σάτυρος, sátyros, ), also known as a silenus or ''silenos'' ( grc-gre, σειληνός ), is a male nature spirit with ears and a tail resembling those of a horse, as well as a permanent, exa ...

'', or to

za'atar Za'atar ( ; ar, زَعْتَر, ) is a culinary herb or family of herbs. It is also the name of a spice mixture that includes the herb along with toasted sesame seeds, dried sumac, often salt, as well as other spices. As a family of relat ...

is not well supported. The ancient Hebrew name is Tzatrah צתרה.

Notes

{{Taxonbar, from=Q22858 Lamiaceae Lamiaceae genera Herbs Taxa named by Carl Linnaeus Flora of Kurdistan Flora of the Mediterranean Basin Mediterranean cuisine