M. fruticosa (L.) Druce in Rep. Bot. Exch. C1. Brit. Isles 3:421 (1914). Syn: Melissa fruticosa L., Sp. P1. 593 (1753);Micromeria marifolia Bentham, Lab. Gen. Sp. 382 (1834). Ic: Fiori, Ic. Fl. Ital. f. 3188 (1902), as subsp. fruticosa. Canescent suffrutescent perennial herb, 20-60 cm, smelling of peppermint when crushed. Stems erect or ascending, simple or branched, like the leaves whitish or greyish adpressed-velutinous, with long internodes. Median leaves ovate, 13-35 x 7-15 mm, flat, entire or obscurely and remotely crenate-dentate, ± glandular-perforate beneath; petiole 2-9 mm. Thyrse interrupted or dense, cylindrical to ovate-oblong, 5-17 x 1.5-5 cm. Cymules much branched, many-flowered, with very small bracteoles. Floral leaves 1.5 x verticillasters to much shorter. Calyx turbinate to obconical-cylindrical, 1.5-2.5 mm, densely adpressed-tomentellous, divided to 1/6-1/4 into triangular obtuse teeth,throat conspicuously bearded or not. Corolla (3-)4-7 mm, white, lower lip often mauve-spotted. Nutlets 1 x 0.4 mm, oblong, acute, subapiculate. Fl. 6-8.
1. Upper verticillasters richly branched into a compact ovate-oblong head (2.5-)3-5 cm broad; calyx throat strongly bearded (S. Amanus) subsp. barbata
1. Verticillasters ± distant, forming an elongate interrupted inflorescence 1.5- 3 cm broad; calyx throat bearded or ± naked
   2. Calyx not visibly bearded at throat, obconical-cylindrical, c. 2.5 mm; stems erect (N.E. Anatolia) subsp. serpyllifolia
   2. Calyx throat conspicuously bearded at throat, 1.5-2.5 mm; stems erect or procumbent
     3. Calyx 2-2.5 mm, obconical-cylindrical; stems procumbent (N.E. Anatolia) subsp. giresunica
     3. Calyx 1.5-2 mm, turbinate; stems usually erect (S. Anatolia) subsp. brachycalyx
subsp. serpyllifolia (Bieb.) P.H. Davis in Kew Bull. 1951:77 (1951). Syn: Nepeta serpyllifolia Bieb., Fl. Taur.-Cauc. 2:40 (1808); Micromeria serpyllifolia (Bieb.) Boiss., Fl. Or. 4:547 (1879) solum ad plantas ex Crimea. Ic: Post (ed. Dinsm.), Fl. Syr. 2:342 f. 559 (1934). Figure 11. Map 49. On limestone and granite rocks, 380-1500 m.
  Type: [Crimea] in Tauriae rupestribus, circa ruinas castelli Inkiermen (holo. LE).
  N.E. Anatolia. A8 Erzurum: W. of Tortum G., 1100 m, Hub.-Mor. 15564! 14 km from Tortum to Oltu, 1500 m, D. 47541! Çoruh: d. Yusufeli, Sarigöl to Barhal (Hevek De.), 1100 m, D. 47661 (large-leaved)! river below Artvin, 380 m, M. Zohary & Plitm. 2563-34!
S.W. Jugoslavia, Crimea.