Melissa officinalis L.

English: Lemon balm

German: Zitronenmelisse

Mandarin: 香蜂花 (xiang feng hua)

Portuguese: Erva cidreira

Kingdom: Plantae (2715)

  Phylum: Tracheophyta (2630)

    Class: Magnoliopsida (2217)

      Order: Lamiales (199)

        Family: Lamiaceae (99)(family description)

          Genus: Melissa (2)

            Epithet: officinalis L. (11)

Synonyms: Faucibarba officinalis (L.) Dulac, Melissa altissima Sm., Melissa bicornis Klokov, Melissa cordifolia Pers., Melissa corsica Benth., Melissa foliosa Opiz ex Rchb., Melissa graveolens Host, Melissa hirsuta Hornem., Melissa occidentalis Raf. ex Benth., Melissa romana Mill., Melissa taurica Benth., Mutelia officinalis (L.) Gren. ex Mutel, Thymus melissa E.H.L.Krause

altissima => very high (referring to altitude), (altus, high)

cordifolia => with heart-shaped leaves

corsica => from Corsica, France

graveolens => of strong or rank odour

hirsuta => having long distinct hairs, rough, hairy

occidentalis => western

officinalis => of practical use to man; official species in commerce, especially for medicinal purposes

Climate: sub-tropical

Habitat: mesophytic

Habit: herb

Flower colour: white

Check for Melissa officinalis at

World Flora Online, GBIF or IPNI

• [1067] Melissa officinalis - Prof. Dr. Otto Wilhelm Thomé: Flora von Deutschland Österreich und der Schweiz
• [1107] Melissa officinalis - Plants For A Future
• [1440] Melissa officinalis - Flora of China @ efloras.org
• [1795] Melissa officinalis - Pacific Island Ecosystems at Risk (PIER)