46 I-r.OWERS OF Till'. HH.I.S AND DRV IT.ACES 



same size, but the hermaphrodite riovvers enlarge as they pass from the 

 male to the t'eniale stage. It has lost the power of self-pollination, 

 being much visited by insects for its abundant honey. 



The base of the ovary is enlarged to secrete the honey and ser\'es 

 to attract insects, which (|uickl\' pollinate the tlovvers, the parts project- 

 ing. The tube is smt)oth at the base, lined with hairs above to keep 

 out rain. It is 2,^, mm. long, and thus open to many insects. The 

 st\le is short, and the anthers are much longer at first, the fila- 

 ments varying in length, but the tormer elongates (and Inith project 

 from the corolla), and then divides and becomes covered with wart- 

 like Iciiobs, the lobes spreading. The female flowers are more fertile 

 than the hermaphrodite. A third type was found by Delpino with 

 hermaphrodite flowers, with stamens and pistil ecjually developed, and 

 others with highly developed stamens^ and abortive [)istil, and vice 

 versa. 



There is a tendency towards the {)roduction of purely male fiowers 

 in Flngland, the stigma not maturing in .some hermaphrodite plants. 

 W'iKl Thyme is \isitetl b)- the Honey Bee, Bombus, Sai'opoda, Andrcna, 

 Megachile, Noniada, Ccclioxys, Aviviophila, Ccrccrts, Linden ins, Sysfce- 

 fkiis, Er is talis, Sicits, Myopa, Luci/ia, Ec/iiiioiiiyia, Gyniiiosonia, 

 Ocyptera, Saixophaga, and the Lepidoptera Sa/ynis, Ai-gyimis, Lyc<cna, 

 Sesia. 



The nutlets are free at length, and fall out automatically around the 

 parent .species. 



Being largely a rock plant, Wild Thyme grows on rock soils, either 

 sand or lime, being common on chalk and oolite. 



I he leaves are attacked b\- a cluster-cuj) hmgus Pnccinia schneideri. 

 .Several beetles, Apion atojuariuvi, Meligethcs /itgitbris, Chrysomela 

 ccrealis, Adimonia tanaccti, Loiigitarsjis p7tlcx, L. pcllncidns, Biitcxlis 

 senescens, Pteroplwnis tefradactylus, Idcca straminata, I. rubiginata, 

 I. decorata, Lepidoptera, Dwarf Pug {EupUhccia pusillatci), Graplio- 

 litha comptana. Large Blue {Polyommatits Arioii), Pemphclia dilutella, 

 Gclecliia a7'te7nisiella, and a Homopterous insect, Tettigomelra iin- 

 pressopitnctata, live upon Thyme. 



Thynius, Theophrastus, is from tlu' dreek tliuo, I e.xcite, or tJiiivios, 

 courage, because of its smell, which revives the spirits. Serpyllitni. 

 Pliny, is a Latin name for thyme. 



Pliny also says th;it, when Inirnt, \\'ild Thyme put to flight all 

 creeping venomous creatures. It is called Brotherwort, Mill -won. 

 Horse Thyme, Mother of Thyme, Pella Mountain or Puliall Moun- 



' Delpino found male flowers ne.ir Florence. These do not occur in this country apparently. 



