{"schema":"https://ver.cy/schemas/card/1.0.0","id":"vr.tr.marjoram","code":"thing-q22694","url":"https://ver.cy/models/thing/q22694/","name":"marjoram","alternateNames":[],"kind":"thing","status":"published","version":"0.1.0-research.1","language":"en","classifiers":{"family":"Thing Registry","category":"Physical world and living systems","entryKind":"thing","plane":"PHY","domain":["PHY.LIV"],"industry":[],"navPath":"","tags":[],"facets":{}},"whatItIs":"Origanum majorana L. (Lamiaceae; synonym Majorana hortensis Moench) is a tender perennial or annual mint native to Cyprus and southern Türkiye and cultivated worldwide as sweet marjoram, a culinary and traditional medicinal herb whose leaf essential oil often contains sabinene hydrate and terpinen-4-ol, although both marjoram and oregano have variable chemotypes and essential-oil composition alone does not establish species identity.","purpose":"Enable an agent to identify material registered as marjoram, assess its living or harvested condition, and choose supported cultivation, handling or culinary actions.","scope":{"in":["Botanical identity and evidence distinguishing marjoram from oregano and other similarly named herbs","Living marjoram plants, their growth stage and cultivation condition","Harvested marjoram leaves and shoots in fresh or dried form","Harvest origin, processing history and continuity between plant and herb batch","Aroma, physical integrity and evidence supporting handling or culinary use"],"out":["General taxonomy and descriptions of neighbouring Origanum species","Soil, growing containers and greenhouse systems as independent things","Recipes, prepared foods and mixed seasonings containing marjoram","Extracted essential oils and formulated medicinal products","Commercial orders, certification systems and food-safety policies themselves"],"boundaries":[]},"distinguishingFeatures":["Check the botanical identification behind the common name: sweet marjoram is associated with Origanum majorana, while pot marjoram may refer to O. onites; a marjoram label alone does not settle species. [RHS marjoram guide](https://www.rhs.org.uk/herbs/marjoram/grow-your-own?type=h)","Compare intact leaves against authenticated sweet-marjoram material for the combination of oval shape, soft hairs and grey-green colour; treat this as supporting evidence rather than a sufficient identification. [RHS species description](https://www.rhs.org.uk/plants/11919/origanum-majorana/details)","Compare aroma with authenticated marjoram and oregano references: a milder, sweeter profile supports marjoram identification, but sensory comparison alone cannot authenticate it. [RHS oregano guide](https://www.rhs.org.uk/herbs/oregano/grow-your-own)","For fragmented or dried material, test whether traceable plant identification or an appropriate authentication method supports the label when leaf and flower characters cannot be inspected."],"structure":{"bundles":[{"id":"marjoram-identity","name":"Marjoram identity","description":"Establish what the marjoram name denotes for the observed plant or herb batch.","layers":[{"id":"name-and-taxon","name":"Name and taxon","description":"Separate the supplied name from the supported botanical identification.","findings":[{"id":"supported-marjoram-identification","name":"Supported marjoram identification","description":"Record the claimed taxon, identification evidence and unresolved alternatives.","questions":[{"text":"Does marjoram here mean identified sweet marjoram, another named taxon or an unresolved trade name?","id":"supported-marjoram-identification-q01","kind":"definition"},{"text":"Who identified the source material, by what method and with what retained evidence?","id":"supported-marjoram-identification-q02","kind":"provenance"},{"text":"Does the proposed identification fit this registry entry or require a link to a neighbouring entry?","id":"supported-marjoram-identification-q03","kind":"boundary"}]}]},{"id":"observable-authentication","name":"Observable authentication","description":"Assess the identification evidence available in intact and processed material.","findings":[{"id":"diagnostic-evidence","name":"Diagnostic evidence","description":"Record leaf, flower and aroma observations without treating any single cue as proof.","questions":[{"text":"Which observed leaf and flowering characters agree with an authenticated reference for the claimed marjoram taxon?","id":"diagnostic-evidence-q01","kind":"measurement"},{"text":"Has fragmentation or drying removed the characters needed to distinguish this material from oregano or another herb?","id":"diagnostic-evidence-q02","kind":"boundary"},{"text":"What additional examination is needed before accepting the identification?","id":"diagnostic-evidence-q03","kind":"action"}]}]}]},{"id":"living-marjoram-condition","name":"Living marjoram condition","description":"Represent the development and growing condition of rooted plants and propagating material.","layers":[{"id":"growth-and-regrowth","name":"Growth and regrowth","description":"Track development relevant to cutting, propagation and continued growth.","findings":[{"id":"plant-development","name":"Plant development","description":"Record rooting, shoot development, flowering and recovery following cuts.","questions":[{"text":"Is this marjoram an unrooted cutting, establishing plant or established plant, and what supports that assessment?","id":"plant-development-q01","kind":"measurement"},{"text":"What budding, flowering and new-shoot growth are visible, including regrowth since the previous cut?","id":"plant-development-q02","kind":"measurement"},{"text":"Does the observed development support propagation or harvest now, or should the plant recover first?","id":"plant-development-q03","kind":"action"}]}]},{"id":"growing-stress","name":"Growing stress","description":"Relate visible symptoms to measured exposure and care history.","findings":[{"id":"stress-and-care-response","name":"Stress and care response","description":"Record marjoram leaf and shoot symptoms alongside environmental evidence and remaining diagnostic uncertainty.","questions":[{"text":"What proportion of leaves or shoots shows wilting, discolouration, pest damage or dieback?","id":"stress-and-care-response-q01","kind":"measurement"},{"text":"What recent temperature, watering, drainage and light conditions preceded these symptoms?","id":"stress-and-care-response-q02","kind":"provenance"},{"text":"What care adjustment is supported for the identified taxon and local conditions, and what response should be checked?","id":"stress-and-care-response-q03","kind":"action"}]}]}]},{"id":"harvest-and-material-continuity","name":"Harvest and material continuity","description":"Connect harvested marjoram to its source and describe the herb actually retained.","layers":[{"id":"harvest-context","name":"Harvest context","description":"Capture the origin and circumstances of leaf or shoot removal.","findings":[{"id":"traceable-marjoram-harvest","name":"Traceable marjoram harvest","description":"Record source identity, harvest time, plant stage and intended destination.","questions":[{"text":"Which identified plants or supplier lot produced this marjoram, and when was it harvested?","id":"traceable-marjoram-harvest-q01","kind":"provenance"},{"text":"What plant parts were taken, at what flowering stage and in what quantity?","id":"traceable-marjoram-harvest-q02","kind":"measurement"},{"text":"Is this harvest intended for fresh use, drying or propagation?","id":"traceable-marjoram-harvest-q03","kind":"action"}]}]},{"id":"herb-composition","name":"Herb composition","description":"Describe retained plant parts and changes to batch identity.","findings":[{"id":"leaf-content-and-mixtures","name":"Leaf content and mixtures","description":"Record leaf, stem and flower content, foreign material, and any combination of source lots.","questions":[{"text":"What sampled proportions of this material are marjoram leaves, stems, flowers or foreign matter?","id":"leaf-content-and-mixtures-q01","kind":"measurement"},{"text":"Which source lots were combined or separated, and can their identity evidence still be traced?","id":"leaf-content-and-mixtures-q02","kind":"provenance"},{"text":"Does the material remain identifiable marjoram herb, or has it become a seasoning mixture owned by another model?","id":"leaf-content-and-mixtures-q03","kind":"boundary"}]}]}]},{"id":"postharvest-marjoram-quality","name":"Postharvest marjoram quality","description":"Assess fresh and dried herb condition through handling and storage.","layers":[{"id":"fresh-herb-condition","name":"Fresh herb condition","description":"Assess the physical and sensory condition of recently harvested leaves and shoots.","findings":[{"id":"fresh-leaf-usability","name":"Fresh leaf usability","description":"Record wilting, bruising, discolouration and atypical odour with elapsed time and handling history.","questions":[{"text":"How much of the fresh marjoram is wilted, bruised, discoloured or otherwise visibly deteriorated?","id":"fresh-leaf-usability-q01","kind":"measurement"},{"text":"What elapsed time and storage conditions separate harvest from this assessment?","id":"fresh-leaf-usability-q02","kind":"provenance"},{"text":"Does the evidence support fresh use, prompt drying or holding the material for further assessment?","id":"fresh-leaf-usability-q03","kind":"action"}]}]},{"id":"dried-herb-condition","name":"Dried herb condition","description":"Assess drying outcomes and changes during storage.","findings":[{"id":"drying-and-aroma-retention","name":"Drying and aroma retention","description":"Record the drying process, measured moisture condition and aroma change against a stated reference.","questions":[{"text":"What drying method, duration and temperature history produced this dried marjoram?","id":"drying-and-aroma-retention-q01","kind":"provenance"},{"text":"What do representative water-activity measurements, aroma comparisons and physical inspection show?","id":"drying-and-aroma-retention-q02","kind":"measurement"},{"text":"Do applicable acceptance criteria support packaging or continued storage, or require holding or rejecting the batch?","id":"drying-and-aroma-retention-q03","kind":"action"}]}]}]},{"id":"marjoram-use-decisions","name":"Marjoram use decisions","description":"Connect the identified herb and its assessed condition to a specific proposed use.","layers":[{"id":"culinary-fit","name":"Culinary fit","description":"Describe whether the available marjoram suits the requested ingredient role.","findings":[{"id":"form-and-aroma-match","name":"Form and aroma match","description":"Record the required herb form and sensory target without assuming a universal substitution ratio.","questions":[{"text":"Does the intended use require fresh leaves, whole dried leaves or fragmented dried marjoram?","id":"form-and-aroma-match-q01","kind":"definition"},{"text":"How does this batch's aroma intensity compare with the reference used for the intended preparation?","id":"form-and-aroma-match-q02","kind":"measurement"},{"text":"If replacing fresh marjoram, dried marjoram or oregano, what preparation-specific evidence supports the substitution and amount?","id":"form-and-aroma-match-q03","kind":"action"}]}]},{"id":"use-evidence-and-restrictions","name":"Use evidence and restrictions","description":"Retain the evidence and unresolved issues governing release for a specified use.","findings":[{"id":"supported-use-disposition","name":"Supported use disposition","description":"Record relevant treatment history, contamination assessments and the basis for accepting or withholding the herb.","questions":[{"text":"What source records establish whether this marjoram was grown and handled for culinary use, including relevant treatments?","id":"supported-use-disposition-q01","kind":"provenance"},{"text":"Which identity or contamination uncertainties remain unresolved despite acceptable appearance and aroma?","id":"supported-use-disposition-q02","kind":"boundary"},{"text":"Under the applicable use criteria, should the material be released, restricted, held for assessment or rejected?","id":"supported-use-disposition-q03","kind":"action"}]}]}]},{"id":"evidence-and-external-alignment","name":"Evidence and external alignment","description":"What the world already says about this thing, gathered so the model can be checked against it.","layers":[{"id":"reported-evidence","name":"Reported evidence","description":"Findings from the breadth pass, kept separate from the structural claims.","findings":[{"id":"evidence-kinds","name":"Kinds and varieties","description":"Reported by the breadth pass; each item needs checking against its source before it becomes normative.","questions":[{"text":"Which of these kinds and varieties hold for the sense of marjoram this model covers, and on what evidence?","id":"evidence-kinds-q01","kind":"provenance"}]},{"id":"evidence-identifiers","name":"Identifiers and schemes","description":"Reported by the breadth pass; each item needs checking against its source before it becomes normative.","questions":[{"text":"Which of these identifiers and schemes hold for the sense of marjoram this model covers, and on what evidence?","id":"evidence-identifiers-q01","kind":"provenance"}]},{"id":"evidence-standards-and-regulation","name":"Standards and regulation","description":"Reported by the breadth pass; each item needs checking against its source before it becomes normative.","questions":[{"text":"Which of these standards and regulation hold for the sense of marjoram this model covers, and on what evidence?","id":"evidence-standards-and-regulation-q01","kind":"provenance"}]},{"id":"evidence-real-world-use","name":"Real-world use","description":"Reported by the breadth pass; each item needs checking against its source before it becomes normative.","questions":[{"text":"Which of these real-world use hold for the sense of marjoram this model covers, and on what evidence?","id":"evidence-real-world-use-q01","kind":"provenance"}]},{"id":"evidence-measurements","name":"Typical measurements","description":"Reported by the breadth pass; each item needs checking against its source before it becomes normative.","questions":[{"text":"Which of these typical measurements hold for the sense of marjoram this model covers, and on what evidence?","id":"evidence-measurements-q01","kind":"provenance"}]},{"id":"evidence-failure-modes-and-hazards","name":"Failure modes and hazards","description":"Reported by the breadth pass; each item needs checking against its source before it becomes normative.","questions":[{"text":"Which of these failure modes and hazards hold for the sense of marjoram this model covers, and on what evidence?","id":"evidence-failure-modes-and-hazards-q01","kind":"provenance"}]},{"id":"evidence-regional-variation","name":"Regional variation","description":"Reported by the breadth pass; each item needs checking against its source before it becomes normative.","questions":[{"text":"Which of these regional variation hold for the sense of marjoram this model covers, and on what evidence?","id":"evidence-regional-variation-q01","kind":"provenance"}]},{"id":"evidence-neighbours","name":"Neighbouring kinds and how to tell them apart","description":"Reported by the breadth pass; each item needs checking against its source before it becomes normative.","questions":[{"text":"Which of these neighbouring kinds and how to tell them apart hold for the sense of marjoram this model covers, and on what evidence?","id":"evidence-neighbours-q01","kind":"provenance"}]}]}]}]},"agentConduct":{"may":["Identify sweet marjoram and describe its culinary uses, citing botanical sources.","Help a grower plan cultivation and harvest."],"mustNot":["Present marjoram as a cure for disease or recommend concentrated extracts as medicine.","Sell oregano or other herbs labelled as marjoram.","Recommend medicinal doses during pregnancy without a clinician."],"requiresHuman":["Using marjoram or its oil as a remedy for a person with a health condition."]},"ethics":{"considerations":["Food fraud in herbs and spices misleads buyers and can hide adulterants.","Traditional medicinal uses deserve respect but not overstated claims."],"affectedParties":["Cooks and buyers","Growers","Pregnant people"]},"owners":{"steward":"The grower or seller of the herb.","roles":[],"masterSystems":["Plant name databases"]},"relations":[{"target":"Q11992872","type":"parent","note":"registry parent class"}],"interaction":{"identity":{"applicability":"required","items":["Vercy registry: vr.tr.marjoram","Wikidata: Q22694 (https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q22694)"]},"properties":{"applicability":"required","items":["Botanical identity assessment: Named taxon or unresolved; evidence and confidence recorded separately","Physical form: Rooted plant, cutting, fresh shoot, fresh leaf, dried whole leaf, dried fragmented herb","Plant-part composition: Percentage by mass of leaves, stems, flowers and foreign material; sampling basis stated","Growth and flowering stage: Establishing, vegetative, budding, flowering, post-flowering, declining or unknown","Leaf and shoot condition: Observed turgor, discolouration, lesions, pest damage and dieback, with extent","Growing exposure: Temperature in °C, light exposure in hours per day, and substrate moisture with method and units","Aroma profile: Descriptors and intensity relative to a named reference, with assessment method","Harvest and processing lineage: Links to source plant or lot, harvest event, drying event and subsequent splits or mixtures","Water activity of dried herb: aw, dimensionless, with instrument, temperature and sampling details","Use disposition: Pending assessment, supported for specified use, restricted or rejected; basis recorded"]},"recognition":{"applicability":"required","items":["A low bushy herb with small, soft, greyish-green oval leaves and a sweet scent.","Clusters of tiny white or pink flowers in knot-like heads."]},"capabilities":{"applicability":"required","items":["Identify or flag uncertain marjoram material using botanical observations and provenance","Adjust watering, placement or protection using the plant's condition and growing exposure","Select suitable living material for propagation and track its establishment","Harvest leaves or shoots for a specified purpose while recording the source plant and growth stage","Dry, separate, package and store harvested herb while retaining batch identity","Select marjoram for a culinary role, or hold unsuitable or insufficiently identified material"]},"hazards":{"applicability":"required","items":["Concentrated essential oil can irritate skin and is harmful if swallowed.","Dried herbs may be adulterated with other plant material."]},"interfaces":{"applicability":"required","items":["International Code of Nomenclature for algae, fungi, and plants, International Association for Plant Taxonomy."]},"context":{"applicability":"required","items":["Marjoram is grown in herb gardens, containers and commercial fields for its aromatic leaves.","Fresh or dried leaves are used to season food, while harvested material is also encountered in herb processing and essential oil production."]}},"sources":[{"title":"Origanum majorana L.","url":"https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:453303-1","note":"Accepted name, synonyms, native range (Cyprus, southern Türkiye), habit to 0.8 m, leaf size, culinary and medicinal use"},{"title":"Marjoram","url":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marjoram","note":"Culinary uses, Middle Eastern synonymy with oregano, knotted/sweet/pot vernaculars, harvest at flowering"},{"title":"Origanum majorana (MAJHO)","url":"https://gd.eppo.int/taxon/MAJHO","note":"EPPO code, distinction from wild Origanum vulgare also called marjoram, vernacular names"},{"title":"sweet marjoram | Taxonomy","url":"https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/taxonomy/Origanum-majorana","note":"Crosswalks to Wikidata Q22694, IPNI, WFO, UniProt taxonomy, MeSH, Foodb"},{"title":"21 CFR § 182.10 - Spices and other natural seasonings and flavorings","url":"https://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/21/182.10","note":"US GRAS listing of sweet marjoram as Majorana hortensis Moench, separate from pot marjoram"},{"title":"Draft Standard for Dried Sweet Marjoram (CX/SCH 25/8/7)","url":"https://www.fao.org/fao-who-codexalimentarius/sh-proxy/zh/?lnk=1&url=https%253A%252F%252Fworkspace.fao.org%252Fsites%252Fcodex%252FMeetings%252FCX-736-08%252FWorking%2Bdocuments%252Fsc08_07e.pdf","note":"Codex product definition as dried Origanum majorana L., hygiene and contaminant hooks, powdered-form additives"},{"title":"European Union herbal monograph on Origanum majorana L., herba","url":"https://www.ema.europa.eu/en/documents/herbal-monograph/final-european-union-herbal-monograph-origanum-majorana-l-herba_en.pdf","note":"Traditional-use herbal drug: tea of comminuted herb; ethanolic extract in a cutaneous semi-solid"},{"title":"What requirements must herbs and spices meet to be allowed on the European market?","url":"https://www.cbi.eu/market-information/spices-herbs/buyer-requirements","note":"EU pyrrolizidine-alkaloid limit of 1,000 μg/kg for marjoram; Codex CCSCH work on sweet marjoram"},{"title":"Comparison of the Essential Oils of Origanum majorana L. and Origanum x majoricum Cambess.","url":"https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/10412905.2004.9698713","note":"Two Turkish chemotypes of O. majorana (carvacrol 'beyaz kekik' vs sabinyl mercanköşk); hybrid O. × majoricum"},{"title":"Origanum majorana (Knotted Marjoram, Marjoram, Pot Marjoram, Sweet Marjoram)","url":"https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/origanum-majorana/","note":"Garden habit, confusion with O. vulgare, cold tenderness, reported toxicity to pets"},{"title":"Wikidata item Q22694: marjoram","url":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q22694","note":"identity and sense of the item"}],"openQuestions":["Does vr.tr.marjoram denote only Origanum majorana, or also material called pot marjoram and other common-name variants, and does an existing world model already own any of this scope?","Which botanical or laboratory authentication methods reliably distinguish the accepted marjoram scope from oregano and other substitutes in whole, dried and fragmented material?","Which local growing thresholds and harvest practices are supported for the accepted taxa and cultivars, including cold exposure and recovery after cutting?","Which validated drying, storage and sampling criteria should govern fresh and dried marjoram for each intended use?","Which sensory references and preparation-specific evidence can support aroma grading and substitutions without assuming that all marjoram batches have equal strength?"],"resources":{"spec":"/models/things/publications/thing-q22694/spec.json"},"provenance":{"origin":"thing registry research (pass 2)","builtFrom":["models/things/publications/thing-q22694/spec.json"],"providers":["Codex","Grok"],"researchStatus":"unreviewed","generatedAt":"2026-09-07T14:44:11Z","builder":"tools/build_cards.py@1.0.0"},"completeness":{"sections":{"classifiers":"filled","whatItIs":"filled","purpose":"filled","distinguishingFeatures":"filled","structure":"filled","agentConduct":"filled","ethics":"filled","owners":"filled","relations":"filled","interaction.identity":"filled","interaction.properties":"filled","interaction.recognition":"filled","interaction.capabilities":"filled","interaction.hazards":"filled","interaction.interfaces":"filled","interaction.context":"filled","sources":"filled"},"notes":{"_gate":"Published through the thing publication gate 1.0 on 2026-10-07T12:16:31+00:00: completeness 1.00; sense: Wikidata description; 8 live sources; review by codex: pass"},"score":1.0}}