Lippia

Lippia is a genus of flowering plants in the verbena family, Verbenaceae. It was named after Augustin Lippi (1678–1705), a French naturalist and botanist (with Italian origins). He was killed in Abyssinia. The genus contains roughly 200 species of tropical shrubs that are found around the world. Plants are fragrant due to their essential oils, which vary between species but may include estragole, carvacrol, linalool or limonene. The leaves of certain species, such as L. graveolens, can be used as a culinary herb similar to oregano.

==Selected species== Lippia abyssinica (Otto & A.Dietr.) Cufod. – Ethiopia Lippia alba (Mill.) N.E.Br. ex Britton & P.Wilson – Bushy lippia, white lippia (United States (Texas), Mexico, the Caribbean, Central America, and South America) Lippia carterae (Moldenke) G.L.Nesom – Licorice verbena (Baja California, Mexico) Lippia dulcis Trevir. Lippia durangensis Moldenke Lippia graveolens Kunth – Mexican oregano, scented lippia, scented matgrass (Southwestern United States, Mexico, and Central America as far south as Nicaragua) Lippia javanica (Burm.f.) Spreng. Lippia kituiensis Vatke Lippia micromera Schauer – Spanish thyme (Central America, the Caribbean, and northern South America) Lippia multiflora Moldenke Lippia myriocephala Schltdl. & Cham. Lippia palmeri S.Watson Lippia pretoriensis H.Pearson Lippia rehmannii H.Pearson Lippia salicifolia Andersson (Ecuador) Lippia scaberrima Sond. Lippia sidoides Cham. Lippia stoechadifolia Lippia substrigosa Turcz. Lippia thymoides Mart. & Schauer