Clinopodium vulgare L.

Scarcely aromatic herb. Stems lax or straggling, white-pilose. Lvs petiolate. Lamina 1.5-4 × 0.7-2.5 cm, ovate, hairy, often densely hairy below, entire to shallowly and remotely crenate or crenate-serrate; base broad-cuneate to rounded; apex obtuse. Bracteoles numerous, nearly = calyx, white-plumose. Calyx 7-9 mm long, white-plumose; teeth subulate, purplish; lower lip with longer teeth. Corolla 10-15 mm long, pink, densely hairy outside; lower lip almost 2× upper lip. Nutlets 9-10 mm diam., subglobose or broad-oblong, slightly angular ventrally.

It is a temperate plant. It grows in dry grasslands and stony habitats. It grows along roadsides and the edges of forests. In north India it grows between 2,500-3,500 m above sea level. It suits plant hardiness zone 7.

The fresh or dried leaves are used as flavouring. They are used for tomato sauce, omelettes, egg sandwiches, rice dishes and other foods. The fresh leaves can be used for tea. The cracked seed are used in various recipes.

Can be grown by cuttings, divisions or seedlings.