Higher classification Nepetoídeae | Subfamily Nepetoideae Scientific name Rosmarinus Rank Genus | |
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Similar Lamiaceae, Oreganos, Basil, Teucrium, Phlomis | ||
Rosemary rosmarinus officinalis plant of the week
Rosmarinus /ˌrɒsməˈraɪnəs/ is a small genus of woody, perennial herbs with fragrant evergreen needle-like leaves in the family Lamiaceae, native to the Mediterranean Basin.
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Description
Rosmarinus officinalis (rosemary), widespread in the Mediterranean region, and Rosmarinus eriocalyx, native to northwest Africa and southern Spain have long been widely recognized. Rosmarinus tomentosus was first recognized as a separate species in 1941. Rosmarinus palaui was first described as a species in 2002, although recognition of this species remains controversial. Recent research has indicated that while R. tomentosus forms a monophyletic group, this group is nested within a paraphyletic R. eriocalyx.
Rosmarinus eriocalyx differs from the well-known herb rosemary in its smaller leaves, only 5–15 mm (0.20–0.59 in) long and less than 2 mm (0.079 in) broad, and densely hairy flower stems. It also tends to be lower-growing, often under 25 cm (9.8 in) tall and prostrate, and never exceeding 1 m (3 ft 3 in) tall (R. officinalis can reach 1.5 m (4 ft 11 in), exceptionally 2 m (6 ft 7 in), tall).
- Rosmarinus eriocalyx Jord. & Fourr. - Spain, Morocco, Algeria, Libya
- Rosmarinus × lavandulaceus de Noé - Spain, Morocco, Algeria (R. eriocalyx × R. officinalis)
- Rosmarinus × mendizabalii Sagredo ex Rosua - Granada region of Spain (R. officinalis × R. tomentosus)
- Rosmarinus officinalis L. – Rosemary - Portugal, Spain, France, Italy, Greece, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Montenegro, Morocco, Algeria, Libya, Tunisia, Egypt, Cyprus, Turkey; naturalized in Bulgaria, Crimea, Azores, Canary Islands, Cape Verde, Bermuda, Texas, central Mexico
- Rosmarinus palaui (O.Bolòs & Molin.) Rivas Mart. & M.J.Costa (syn of R. officinalis)
- Rosmarinus tomentosus Hub.-Mor. & Maire - southern Spain