Satureja
Satureja is a genus of aromatic plants of the family Lamiaceae, related to rosemary and thyme. It is native to southern and southeastern Europe, North Africa, the Middle East, and Central Asia. Historically, Satureja was defined broadly and many species of the subtribe Menthinae from throughout the world were included in it. In the modern cladistic era of botany, Satureja was redefined to a narrower monophyletic genus whose species are all native to Eurasia. 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 or perennial. They are low-growing herbs and subshrubs, reaching heights of.The leaves are long, with flowers forming in whorls on the stem, white to pale pink-violet.
Ecology and cultivation
Satureja species are food plants for the larva of some Lepidoptera. Caterpillars of the moth Coleophora bifrondella feed exclusively on winter savory.Savory may be grown purely for ornamental purposes; members of the genus need sun and well-drained soil.
Uses
Both summer savory and winter savory 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 Persian, Armenian, Georgian, Bulgarian and Italian cuisine, particularly when cooking beans. It is also used to season the traditional Acadian stew known as fricot. The modern spice mixture Herbes de Provence has savory as one of the principal ingredients.
In Azerbaijan, savory is often incorporated as a flavoring in black tea.
Species
Source:Satureja adamovicii Šilic – BalkansSatureja aintabensis P.H.Davis – TurkeySatureja amani P.H.Davis – TurkeySatureja atropatana Bunge – IranSatureja avromanica Maroofi – IranSatureja bachtiarica Bunge – IranSatureja boissieri Hausskn. ex Boiss. – Turkey, IranSatureja bzybica Woronow – CaucasusSatureja × caroli-paui G.López – Spain 'Satureja cilicica P.H.Davis – TurkeySatureja coerulea Janka – Bulgaria, Romania, TurkeySatureja cuneifolia Ten – Spain, Italy, Greece, Albania, Yugoslavia, IraqSatureja × delpozoi Sánchez-Gómez, J.F.Jiménez & R.Morales – Spain 'Satureja edmondii 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 'Satureja fukarekii Šilic – YugoslaviaSatureja hellenica Halácsy – GreeceSatureja hortensis 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, YugoslaviaSatureja icarica P.H.Davis – Greek IslandsSatureja innota Font Quer – SpainSatureja intermedia C.A.Mey. – Iran, CaucasusSatureja intricata Lange – SpainSatureja isophylla Rech.f. – IranSatureja kallarica Jamzad – IranSatureja kermanshahensis Jamzad – IranSatureja 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, YugoslaviaSatureja laxiflora K.Koch – Iran, Iraq, Turkey, CaucasusSatureja linearifolia Greuter – Cyrenaica region of LibyaSatureja macrantha C.A.Mey. – Iran, Iraq, Turkey, CaucasusSatureja metastasiantha Rech.f. – IraqSatureja montana L. – winter savory – southern Europe, Turkey, SyriaSatureja mutica Fisch. & C.A.Mey. – Caucasus, Iran, TurkmenistanSatureja nabateorum Danin & Hedge – JordanSatureja × orjenii Šilic – Yugoslavia 'Satureja pallaryi J.Thiébaut – SyriaSatureja parnassica Heldr. & Sart. ex Boiss. – Greece, TurkeySatureja pilosa Velen. – Italy, Greece, BulgariaSatureja rumelica Velen. – BulgariaSatureja sahendica Bornm. – IranSatureja salzmannii P.W.Ball – Morocco, SpainSatureja spicigera Boiss. – Turkey, Iran, CaucasusSatureja spinosa L. – Turkey, Greek Islands including CreteSatureja subspicata Bartl. ex Vis. – Austria, Yugoslavia, Albania, Bulgaria, ItalySatureja taurica Velen. – CrimeaSatureja thymbra L. – Libya, southeastern Europe from Sardinia to Turkey; Cyprus, Lebanon, PalestineSatureja thymbrifolia Hedge & Feinbrun – Israel-Palestine, Saudi ArabiaSatureja visianii Šilic. – YugoslaviaSatureja wiedemanniana Velen. – Turkey
Formerly in ''Satureja''
- Browne's savory, Clinopodium brownei
- San Miguel Savory, Clinopodium chandleri
- Large-flowered calamint, Clinopodium grandiflorum
- Stone mint, Cunila mariana Satureja acinos Scheele = Clinopodium acinos KuntzeSatureja alpina Scheele = Clinopodium alpinum KuntzeSatureja biflora Benth = Micromeria biflora BenthSatureja gilliesii Briq. = Clinopodium chilense GovaertsSatureja mexicana Briq. = Clinopodium mexicanum GovaertsSatureja multiflora Briq. – Chilean shrub mint = Clinopodium multiflorum KuntzeSatureja palmeri Briq. = Clinopodium palmeri KuntzeSatureja paradoxa Engl. ex Seybold = Clinopodium paradoxum RydingSatureja robusta Brenan = Clinopodium robustum RydingSatureja viminea L. – serpentine savory = Clinopodium vimineum KuntzeSatureja vulgaris Fritschl = Clinopodium vulgare L.Satureja vernayana Brenan = Clinopodium vernayanum RydingSatureja douglasii Briq. – yerba buena = Micromeria douglasii Benth