DIDYNAMIA GYMNOSPERMIA 347 



1. M. noRTF.xsis, Mcench. Leaves elliptie-obovate, obtuse, entire, 

 petiolate, downy and canescent ; spikelets oblong, compact, clustered 

 at the ends of the branches ; bracts orbicular-ovate* Benth. Lab. 

 p. 338. 

 Origanum Majorana. Linn, and others. 



Garde* Majorana. Vulgo — Sweet Marjoram. 



Gall. — La Marjolaine. Germ. — Der Majoran. Hisp. — Mejorcna* 



Root annual. Stem 9 to 12 or 18 inches high, subterete, pubescent, somewhat 

 branched. Leaves 1 third of an inch to an inch long, and 1 fourth to 3 fourths of 

 an inch tcide, varying from ovate to elliptic and obovate, or spatulate, clothed uith 

 a short soft hoary pubescence. Spikelets 1 fourth to fuUfan inch long, obtusely 

 ^•cornered, hoary-pubescent, in sessile terminal clusters of threes, or on short axil' 

 lary branches resemblitig peduncles ; bracts very obtuse, or rounded, ciliate-pubcs* 

 cent, quadrifariously and densely imbricated, the margin at base involute. Calyx 

 sprinkled with yellow resitwus dots; upper lip (or sepal ?) dilated, obtuse, ciliate- 

 pilose and mostly 3-toothed at apex, narrowed below, with the margin folded in ; 

 lower lip (or sepal?) oxaif, smooth, very minute, at the involute base of the upper one. 

 Corolla white, minutely pubescent. Style equally bifid. 



Hdb. Gardens : frequent. Fl. July— August. Fr. September. 



Obs. Cultivated for culinary purposes. Tlierc are no native species in the U- 



States. 



276. THYMUS. L. JSTutt. Gen. 517. 

 [Greek, Thymos, courage ; in allusion to its cordial qualities.] 



Flowers capitate, or verticillate. Calyx tubular-campanulate, 10-ribbed, 

 bilabiate ; upper lip trifid, lower one bifid ; throat hairy. Corolla with 

 the upper lip erect, nearly flat, emarginate ; lower one longer, spread- 

 ing, 3-lobed, middle lobe broader. 



1. T. Serptllum, L. Stems decumbent, creeping; leaves elliptic- 

 ovate, obtuse, flat ; verticils crowded into terminal heads. Beck, Bot. 

 p. 273. 



Vulgo— Thyme. Wild Thyme. Creeping Thyme. 



Boot perennial, ligneous. Stems 4 to 6 or 8 inches long, numerous, slender, 

 branching and entangled, procumbent, with the summits and branches ascending, 

 suffruticose, purplish or brown, retrorsely pubescent on the angles. Leaves 1 

 fourth to near half an inch long, and 1 to 2 or 3 lines wide, entire and often slightly 

 revolute on the margin, smoothish, punctate, petiolate, the base and petiole more 

 or less ciliate with long hairs. Flowers crowded into terminal ovoid-oblong heads 

 Calyx pilose, the orifice closed with white hairs ; segments acuminate, pectinate- 

 ly ciliate. Corolla purple, variegated with red and white spots. 

 Hob. Dry sandy banks; roadsides: not unfrequent. K.June-Sept. JV.Aug-Oct. 



Obs. This fragrant little foreigner is naturalized in many localities. Within 

 my recollection, it was a prevalent vulgar notion that this plant sprang up, span, 

 taneously, in spots where human blood had been spilled by any casualty, or vio- 

 lence ! What cannot ignorance believe 7 



2. T. vulgaris, L. Stems erect; leaves oblongwate, or lance, 

 ovate, revoluteonthe margin; verticils in terminal interrupted leafy 

 spikes. Benth. Lab. p. 342. I Jy 



Common Thymus. Vulgd.-Garden Thyme. Standing Thyme. 



