parent_taxon lavandula
Marjoram (" ___MASK83___ majorana ", syn . " Majorana hortensis " Moench , " Majorana majorana " ( L .) H . Karst ) is a somewhat cold - sensitive perennial herb or undershrub with sweet pine and citrus flavors . In some Middle Eastern countries , marjoram is synonymous with oregano , and there the names sweet marjoram and knotted marjoram are used to distinguish it from other plants of the genus " ___MASK83___ ". It is also called pot marjoram , although this name is also used for other cultivated species of " ___MASK83___ ". Africa is the world ' s second - largest and second - most - populous continent . At about 30 . 3 million km² ( 11 . 7 million square miles ) including adjacent islands , it covers 6 % of Earth ' s total surface ___MASK71___ and 20 . 4 % of its total land ___MASK71___ . With 1 . 1 billion people as of 2013 , it accounts for about 15 % of the world ' s human population . The continent is surrounded by the Mediterranean Sea to the north , both the Suez Canal and the Red Sea along the Sinai Peninsula to the northeast , the Indian Ocean to the southeast , and the Atlantic Ocean to the west . The continent includes Madagascar and various archipelagos . It contains 54 fully recognized sovereign states ( countries ), nine territories and two " de facto " independent states with limited or no recognition . The Canary Islands , also known as the Canaries , are an archipelago and autonomous community of Spain located on the Atlantic Ocean , west of Morocco . The Canaries are among the outermost regions ( OMR ) of the European Union proper . It is also one of the eight regions with special consideration of historical nationality recognized as such by the Spanish Government . ___MASK65___ ( or ) or Labiatae is a family of flowering plants commonly known as the mint or deadnettle family . Many of the plants are aromatic in all parts and include widely used culinary herbs , such as basil , mint , rosemary , sage , savory , marjoram , oregano , hyssop , thyme , lavender , and perilla . Some species are shrubs , trees ( such as teak ), or , rarely , vines . Many members of the family are widely cultivated , not only for their aromatic qualities but also their ease of cultivation , since they are readily propagated by stem cuttings . Besides those grown for their edible leaves , some are grown for decorative foliage , such as " Coleus ". Others are grown for seed , such as " Salvia hispanica " ( chia ), or for their edible tubers , such as " Plectranthus edulis ", " Plectranthus esculentus ", " Plectranthus rotundifolius ", and " Stachys affinis " ( Chinese artichoke ). A vine ( Latin " vnea " " grapevine ", " vineyard ", from " vnum " " wine ") in the narrowest sense is the grapevine (" ___MASK59___ "), but more generally it can refer to any plant with a growth habit of trailing or ( that is , climbing ) stems or runners . The word also can refer to such stems or runners themselves , for instance when used in wicker work . Teak ( ___MASK60___ grandis ) is a tropical hardwood tree species placed in the flowering ___MASK77___ family ___MASK65___ . " ___MASK60___ grandis " is a large , deciduous tree that occurs in mixed hardwood forests . It has small , fragrant white flowers and large papery leaves that are often hairy on the lower surface . It is sometimes known as the " Burmese teak ". Teak wood has a leather - like smell when it is freshly milled . It is particularly valued for its durability and water resistance , and is used for boat building , exterior construction , veneer , furniture , carving , turnings , and other small wood projects . " ___MASK60___ grandis " is native to south and southeast Asia , mainly India , Sri Lanka , Indonesia , Malaysia , Thailand , Myanmar and Bangladesh but is naturalised and cultivated in many countries in Africa and the Caribbean . Myanmar ' s teak forests account for nearly half of the world ' s naturally occurring teak . Molecular studies show that there are two centres of genetic origin of teak ; one in India and the other in Myanmar and Laos . " CP teak " (" Central Province " teak ) is a description of teak from the central states of India . " Nagpur teak " is another regional Indian teak . It produces small , white flowers arranged in dense clusters ( panicles ) at the end of the branches . Flowers contain both types of reproductive organs ( perfect flowers ) The Atlantic Ocean is the second largest of the world ' s oceans with a total ___MASK71___ of about . It covers approximately 20 percent of the Earth ' s surface and about 29 percent of its water surface ___MASK71___ . It separates the " Old World " from the " New World ". ___MASK29___ esculentus , with English common names kaffir potato , and Livingstone potato , is a species of ___MASK77___ in the dicot family ___MASK65___ . It is indigenous to Africa , where it is grown for its edible tubers . It is more difficult to cultivate than " ___MASK29___ rotundifolius ", but able to give greater yields . Although the crop is similar to a potato it is from the mint family but it is still quite nutritious and useful . This crop can benefit many subsistence farmers since it is native , easy to grow , growing popularity in the market and quite nutritious . The flowering plants ( ___MASK28___ ), also known as Angiospermae or ___MASK14___ , are the most diverse group of land plants , with 416 families , approx . 13 , 164 known genera and a total of c . 295 , 383 known species . Like gymnosperms , ___MASK28___ are seed - producing plants ; they are distinguished from gymnosperms by characteristics including flowers , endosperm within the seeds , and the production of fruits that contain the seeds . Etymologically , angiosperm means a plant that produces seeds within an enclosure , in other words , a fruiting plant . The term " angiosperm " comes from the Greek composite word (" angeion ", " case " or " casing ", and " sperma ", " seed ") meaning " enclosed seeds ", after the enclosed condition of the seeds . Thyme is an evergreen herb with culinary , medicinal , and ornamental uses . The most common variety is " ___MASK64___ vulgaris ". Thyme is of the genus " ___MASK64___ " of the mint family ( ___MASK65___ ), and a relative of the oregano genus " Origanum ". In general use , herbs are any plants used for food , flavoring , medicine , or fragrances for their savory or aromatic properties . Culinary use typically distinguishes herbs from spices . " Herbs " refer to the leafy green or flowering parts of a ___MASK77___ ( either fresh or dried ), while " spices " are produced from other parts of the ___MASK77___ ( usually dried ), including seeds , berries , bark , roots and fruits . A shrub or bush is a small to medium - sized woody ___MASK77___ . It is distinguished from a tree by its multiple stems and shorter height , usually under 6 m ( 20 ft ) tall . Plants of many species may grow either into shrubs or trees , depending on their growing conditions . Small , low shrubs , generally less than 2 m ( 6 . 6 ft ) tall , such as lavender , periwinkle and most small garden varieties of roses , are often termed subshrubs . The Old World consists of Africa , Europe , and Asia , regarded collectively as the part of the world known to Europeans before contact with the Americas . It is used in the context of , and contrast with , the New World ( Americas ). ___MASK30___ hispanica , commonly known as chia , is a species of flowering ___MASK77___ in the mint family , ___MASK65___ , native to central and southern Mexico and Guatemala . The sixteenth - century " Codex Mendoza " provides evidence that it was cultivated by the Aztec in pre - Columbian times and economic historians say it may have been as important as maize as a food crop . It was given as an annual tribute by the people to the rulers in 21 of the 38 Aztec provincial states . Binomial nomenclature ( also called binominal nomenclature or binary nomenclature ) is a formal system of naming species of living things by giving each a name composed of two parts , both of which use Latin grammatical forms , although they can be based on words from other languages . Such a name is called a binomial name ( which may be shortened to just " binomial "), a binomen or a scientific name ; more informally it is also called a Latin name . The first part of the name identifies the genus to which the species belongs ; the second part identifies the species within the genus . For example , humans belong to the genus " ___MASK75___ " and within this genus to the species " ___MASK75___ sapiens ". The " formal " introduction of this system of naming species is credited to Carl Linnaeus , effectively beginning with his work " Species Plantarum " in 1753 . But Gaspard Bauhin , in as early as 1623 , had introduced in his book " Pinax theatri botanici " ( English , " Illustrated exposition of plants ") many names of genera that were later adopted by Linnaeus . ___MASK34___ affinis , commonly called crosne , Chinese artichoke , Japanese artichoke , knotroot , and artichoke betony , is a perennial herbaceous ___MASK77___ of the family ___MASK65___ , originating from China . Its rhizome can be grown and eaten as a root vegetable . Cape Verde or Cabo Verde ,, officially the Republic of Cabo Verde , is an island country spanning an archipelago of 10 volcanic islands in the central Atlantic Ocean . Located off the coast of West Africa , the islands cover a combined ___MASK71___ of slightly over . A flower , sometimes known as a bloom or blossom , is the reproductive structure found in plants that are floral ( plants of the division ___MASK14___ , also called angiosperms ). The biological function of a flower is to effect reproduction , usually by providing a mechanism for the union of sperm with eggs . Flowers may facilitate outcrossing ( fusion of sperm and eggs from different individuals in a population ) or allow selfing ( fusion of sperm and egg from the same flower ). Some flowers produce diaspores without fertilization ( parthenocarpy ). Flowers contain sporangia and are the site where gametophytes develop . Many flowers have evolved to be attractive to animals , so as to cause them to be vectors for the transfer of pollen . After fertilization , the ovary of the flower develops into fruit containing seeds . Oregano ( or , scientific name " ___MASK83___ vulgare ", is a flowering plant in the mint family ( ___MASK65___ ). It is native to temperate western and southwestern Eurasia and the Mediterranean region . ___MASK29___ edulis , the Ethiopian potato , known as " Welayta dinich " in Amharic , is a species of annual ___MASK77___ in the ___MASK65___ family . It is indigenous to Ethiopia , where it is grown for its edible tubers . The tubers are cooked before they are eaten . Asia is Earth ' s largest and most populous continent , located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres and sharing the continental landmass of Eurasia with the continent of Europe . Asia covers an ___MASK71___ of , about 30 % of Earth ' s total land ___MASK71___ and 8 . 7 % of the Earth ' s total surface ___MASK71___ . The continent , which has long been home to the majority of the human population , was the site of many of the first civilizations . Asia is notable for not only its overall large size and population , but also dense and large settlements as well as vast barely populated regions within the continent of 4 . 4 billion people . In biology , an organism is any contiguous living system , such as an ___MASK61___ , ___MASK77___ , fungus , archaeon , or bacterium . All known types of organisms are capable of some degree of response to stimuli , reproduction , growth and development and homeostasis . An organism consists of one or more cells ; when it has one cell it is known as a unicellular organism ; and when it has more than one it is known as a multicellular organism . Most unicellular organisms are of microscopic scale and are thus loosely described as microorganisms . Humans are multicellular organisms composed of many trillions of cells grouped into specialized tissues and organs . In botany , a tree is a perennial ___MASK77___ with an elongated stem , or trunk , supporting branches and leaves in most species . In some usages , the definition of a tree may be narrower , including only woody plants with secondary growth , plants that are usable as lumber or plants above a specified height . Trees are not a taxonomic group but include a variety of ___MASK77___ species that have independently evolved a woody trunk and branches as a way to tower above other plants to compete for sunlight . In looser senses , the taller palms , the tree ___MASK1___ , bananas and bamboos are also trees . Trees tend to be long - lived , some reaching several thousand years old . The tallest known tree , a coast redwood named Hyperion , stands high . Trees have been in existence for 370 million years . It is estimated that there are just over 3 trillion mature trees in the world . A genus ( genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms in biology . In the hierarchy of biological classification , genus comes above species and below family . In binomial nomenclature , the genus name forms the first part of the binomial species name for each species within the genus . ___MASK27___ ( common name lavender ) is a genus of 39 known species of flowering plants in the mint family , ___MASK65___ . It is native to the Old World and is found from Cape Verde and the Canary Islands , Europe across to northern and eastern Africa , the Mediterranean , southwest Asia to southeast India . Many members of the genus are cultivated extensively in temperate climates as ornamental plants for garden and landscape use , for use as culinary herbs , and also commercially for the extraction of essential oils . The most widely cultivated species , ___MASK27___ angustifolia , is often referred to as lavender , and there is a colour named for the shade of the flowers of this species . ___MASK30___ is the largest genus of plants in the mint family , ___MASK65___ , with nearly 1000 species of shrubs , herbaceous perennials , and annuals . Within the ___MASK65___ , " ___MASK30___ " is part of the tribe Mentheae within the subfamily ___MASK82___ . It is one of several genera commonly referred to as sage . ___MASK29___ rotundifolius or ___MASK48___ rotundifolius , commonly known as " native " or " country potato " in Africa and called " Chinese potato " in India is a perennial herbaceous ___MASK77___ of the mint family ( ___MASK65___ ) native to tropical Africa . It is cultivated for its edible tubers primarily in West Africa , as well as more recently in parts of Asia , especially India , Sri Lanka , Malaysia , and Indonesia . ___MASK27___ angustifolia ( lavender most commonly True Lavender or English lavender , though not native to England ; also garden lavender , common lavender , narrow - leaved lavender ), formerly " L . officinalis ", is a flowering plant in the family ___MASK65___ , native to the Mediterranean ( Spain , France , Italy , Croatia etc .). ___MASK3___ is of the mint family , ___MASK65___ . Though known to several cultures by different names , the disparate varieties are now classified under the single species " ___MASK3___ frutescens ". The plant overall resembles the stinging nettle , though the leaves are somewhat rounder . ___MASK29___ , with some 350 species , is a genus of warm - climate plants occurring largely in the southern hemisphere , in sub - Saharan Africa , Madagascar , India and the Indonesian archipelago down to Australia and some Pacific Islands . They are closely related to " ___MASK48___ " and are known as the spurflowers . Several species are grown as ornamental plants , as leaf vegetables , as root vegetables for their edible tubers , or as medicine . The European Union ( EU ) is a political and economic union of member states that are located primarily in Europe . It has an ___MASK71___ of , and an estimated population of over 510 million . The EU has developed an internal single market through a standardised system of laws that apply in all member states . EU policies aim to ensure the free movement of people , goods , services , and capital within the internal market , enact legislation in justice and home affairs , and maintain common policies on trade , agriculture , fisheries , and regional development . Within the Schengen ___MASK71___ , passport controls have been abolished . A monetary union was established in 1999 and came into full force in 2002 , and is composed of 19 EU member states which use the euro currency . The world is the planet Earth and all life upon it , including ___MASK66___ civilization . In a philosophical context , the world is the whole of the physical Universe , or an ontological world . In a theological context , the " world " is the material or the profane sphere , as opposed to the celestial , spiritual , transcendent or sacred . The " end of the world " refers to scenarios of the final end of ___MASK66___ history , often in religious contexts . ___MASK34___ is one of the largest genera in the flowering ___MASK77___ family ___MASK65___ . Estimates of the number of species in the genus vary from about 300 , to about 450 . The type species for the genus is " ___MASK34___ sylvatica ". " ___MASK34___ " is in the subfamily Lamioideae . Generic limits and relationships in this subfamily are poorly known .