LABIATA. XLI. MARJORANA. 
tomentose ; spikelets small, ovoid, numerous, densely corym- 
bose. b. F. Native of the eastern region of the Mediterra- 
nean ; as of Dalmatia, Greece, and the neighbouring islands, &c. 
Origanum Onites, Lin. spec. p. 824. Sibth. et Smith, fl. greece. 6. 
p.58. t. 572. Origanum Smyrne‘um, Lin. spec. p. 843. Orí- 
ganum pallidum, Desf. hort. par. ed. 2d. p. 395. Pers. ench. 2. 
p. 129.— Bocc. mus. 2. p. 45. t. 28. Leaves half an inch long, 
usually cordate at the base. Corolla of M. horténsis, but a 
little smaller, whitish. This, the pot-marjoram, though hardy 
enough to stand our winters, seldom ripens its seeds in this 
country. It is in flower from July to November, and is propa- 
gated by seed, but chiefly from slips. It is used and cultivated 
for the same purposes as sweet marjoram. 
Ass’s or Pot Marjoram. Fl. July, Nov. 
1 foot. 
Cult. All the species of marjoram are shrubby if protected 
in winter ; and they are readily increased by slips or cuttings. 
When any of them are sown to be reaped the same year treat 
them as recommended for M. horténsis, p. 766. 
XLII. THY'MUS (from 6vpoc, thymos, of Theophrastus and 
Dioscorides ; from Ovuoc, thymos, courage, strength, the smell of 
thyme being reviving ; or from 6vo, thyo, to perfume, because it 
was used for incense in the temples.) Benth. lab. p. 340. Thy- 
mus species, Lin. and other authors. Serpyllum, Pers. ench. 2. 
p. 130. 
Lin. syst. Didynàmia, Gymnospérmia. Calyx ovate, 13-nerved, 
bilabiate ; upper lip tridentate, spreading; lower lip bifid, with 
ciliated subulate segments ; throat villous inside. Corolla hav- 
ing the tube inclosed in the calyx and imbricating bracteas, 
naked inside; limb sub-bilabiate; upper lip straight, emargi- 
nate, flattish; lower lip spreading, trifid, with equal lobes, or 
the middle lobe is longest. Stamens exserted, rarely inclosed, 
straight, distant, nearly equal or didynamous, lower two the 
longest; anthers 2-celled : cells parallel, or at length diverging. 
Style about equally bifid at apex; lobes subulate, stigmatiferous 
at apex.—Small, usually canescent under shrubs. Leaves small, 
quite entire, veiny, with usually revolute margins. Whorls few- 
flowered sometimes, all remote, and sometimes disposed in loose, 
dense, or imbricate spikelets. Bracteas minute. Flowers usually 
purplish, rarely white. 
Clt. 1759. Shrub 
Secr. I. Masricnina (so called from exhaling a scent like that 
of Mastich.) Benth. lab. p. 341. Calycine teeth, all subulate. 
Very nearly allied to the genus Bystropógon. 
1 T. wasmicuiwA (Lin. spec. 827.) plant diffuse, branched, 
pale green, or canescent ; leaves petiolate, ovate or oblong, ob- 
tuse, narrowed at the base, naked, flat: upper and floral leaves 
broader ; calyx villous, with plumose subulate teeth, which are 
longer than the tube. b. F. Native of Spain, Portugal, and 
Barbary, in sandy, uncultivated places. T. ciliàtus, Moench. ex 
Steud. nom. p. 836. Sampsücus seu Màrum Mastichen redo- 
lens, Bauh. pin. p. 224. Marum, Blackw. icon. t. 134. Riv. 
mon. t. 40. Leaves almost entire, canescent while young. Su- 
perior whorls approximating into a round head. Corolla whitish, 
usually shorter than the calycine teeth. 
Mastich Thyme. FI. July, Sept. Clt. 1596. Shrub 1 foot. 
2s b TOMENTOSUS (Willd. enum. 2. p. 626.? Benth. lab. p. 
341.) plant diffuse, branched, canescent; leaves scarcely petio- 
late, ovate or oblong, obtuse, narrowed at the base, naked, flat, 
clothed with hoary tomentum when young : floral leaves broad- 
ovate, a little imbricated ; calyx very villous, having the teeth 
all subulate, plumose, and shorter than the tube. h. H. Na- 
tive of Spain and the Algarves, Masson. T. marifólius, Pourr. 
ex Willd. l.c. T. elongàtus, Link, enum. 2. p.118.? This 
species differs from the preceding in the calyxes, and inflores- 
cence. Heads small, numerous, almost globose. 
10 
XLII. Tuvuvs. 1761 
Tomentose Mastich Thyme. Fl. June. Aug. Cit. 1816. Pl. 
1 foot. 
Secr. II. SERPYLLUM (ép7vAdov, the Greek name of the wild 
thyme ; from £pzo, herpo, to creep; in reference to the creeping 
stems.) Benth. lab. p. 342. Superior teeth of calyx lanceolate. 
Floral leaves almost of the same colour as the cauline leaves. 
3 T. vurca'nis (Lin. spec. p. 825.) plant erect or procumbent 
at the base, clothed with hoary pubescence ; leaves sessile, linear, 
or ovate-lanceolate, acute, with revolute edges, fascicled in the 
axils: floral leaves lanceolate, obtuse ; whorls loose, rather dis- 
tant; teeth of upper lip of calyx lanceolate, but the segments 
of the lower lip are subulate and ciliated. h.H. Native of the 
South West of Europe, in dry, arid, uncultivated places; as of 
Portugal, Spain, South of France, South of Germany, Italy, 
Piedmont, and Greece. Woodv. med. bot. 299. t. 109.—Blackw. 
icon. t. 21]. Shrub much branched. Flowers purplish, smaller 
than those of 7. Serpyllum. Upper whorls, or all, loosely ap- 
proximate into a terminal head, or the 2 or 4 lower ones are 
remote. 
There are two kinds of thyme cultivated for culinary pur- 
poses. The common and the lemon thyme. Of the garden or 
common thyme there are two varieties, the broad and narrow- 
leaved, besides the variegated, grown for ornament. The lemon 
thyme, Thymus serpýllum, var. y, citratus, is a low, trailing shrub, 
of a yellowish colour, having a strong scent of lemons. The 
young leaves and tops of both kinds are used in soups, stuffings, 
and sauces. For these purposes the broad-leaved common is gene- 
rally preferred; but the flavour of the lemon thyme is much 
liked in peculiar dishes. 
To raise thyme from seed is the general and most eligible 
method. It is occasionally multiplied by parting the roots of 
stocky close plants, and by slips of the young shoots. By seed, 
sow in March or April in a bed or border of light fine earth, 
either broad-cast, scattered thin and raked in lightly, which is 
the general course, or in small shallow drills, six inches asunder : 
the young plants may either remain, or be transplanted in the 
summer when 2 or 3 inches high. A portion may be drilled for 
an edging to a border. As soon as the plants are 3 or 5 inches 
in growth, in June or July, taking the opportunity of rain, thin 
them out, and plant 6 inches asunder, and water at planting. 
Others may be planted in a single row to form an edging to a 
border, either set close to form at once a full edging, or as far as 
3 inches apart. Seedlings thus treated will come in for use the 
same year. 
Those who raise considerable supplies of thyme for the mar- 
kets usually sow large portions thickly in beds, to remain till of 
useful growth, then to be drawn off, root and top together, at 
different seasons as wanted; it is then tied in small bunches for 
market. Some persons also transplant considerable portions in 
spring and summer to 6-10 or 12 inches distance, to form a stocky 
full growth, to be drawn off in large bushy plants. Thyme is also 
propagated by slips of the branching shoots in the spring or 
early in autumn, but more especially by sections of the bush, or 
by removing rooted branches. Plant all these in light rich earth, 
and shade and water till rooted. In autumn, to provide against 
the effect of frosts on exotic evergreens, dry and house a store 
for winter; either cutting the tops or drawing the entire plants. 
Seed is produced abundantly in this country, and ripens in sum- 
mer and autumn. Gather the seed spikes and spread them upon 
a cloth to dry ; rub out clean, and put the seed up for sowing 
the following year. 
Common or Garden Thyme. Fl. June, Aug. 
1 to 1 foot. 
4 T. rzxvtrroLiUs (Mill. diet. no. 2. Benth. lab. p. 728.) 
erect or procumbent at the base; branches pubescent; leaves 
Clt. 1548. Shrub 
