Thymus Serpyllum. Common Wild Thyme. 



THYMUS Linnai Gen. PL Didynamia Gymnospermia. 



Calycis bilabiati faux villis claufa. 

 Rail Syn. Gen. Suffrutices et herbje verticillatte* 



THYMUS Serpyllum floribus capitatis, caulibus repentibus, foliis planis obtufis, bail ciliatis. hinn&i 

 Syji Vegetab. p. 452. 



THYMUS foliis ovatis ad bafin ciliatis. Haller hifi. n. 235, 



THYMUS Serpyllum Scopoli Fh Carniol. n. J36, 



SERPYLLUM vulgare minus. Bauhin Pin. 220. 



SERPYLLUM vulgare. Gerard emac. 570. 



SERPYLLUM vulgare minus. Parkin/on 8. Rail Syn. p. 230, Common Mother of Thyme; Hud/on 

 Fl. Angl. p. 229. 



RADIX lignofa, fibrofa, fufca, perennis. 

 ! ULES numerofi, quadrangulares, duriufculi, pro- 



cumbentes, ramofi, ramis alternis. 

 FOLIA ovata, petiolata, integerrima, plerumque lse- 



via, glandulis punctata, petiolis ciliatisj%. 1, 2. 



FLORES in fummitatibus caulium verticillatim dif- 

 pofiti, etin capitulis fubrotundis congefti. 



CALYX: Perianthium monophyllum, tubulatum, 

 ftriatum,. fauce villis claufo, fig. 9, femibiii- 

 dum in duo labia, labium fuperius latins, tri- 

 dentatum, dentibus reflexis ; inferius bifetum 

 dentibus ciliatis, fig. 3, 4, 5. 



COROLLA monopetala ; Tubus longitudine fetarum 

 calycis, labium fuperius reflexum, emarginatum, 

 obtufum, inferius trifidnm, longius, laciniis 

 obtuiis medio longiore, fig. 6. 



STAMINA: Filamenta quatuor inaequalia ; An- 

 therje minimae, fig. 7. 



PISTILLUM : GERMENquadripartitum ; Stylus Co- 

 rolla longior, recurvatus ; Stigma bifidum, 

 acutum, fig. 8. 



SEMINA quatuor, parva, fubrotunda, fufca, fig. 10, 11. 



ROOT woody, fibrous, of a brown colour, and perennial. 



STALKS numerous, fquare, hard, procumbent, and 

 branched ; the branches alternate. 



LEAVES oval, ftanding on foot-ftalks, entire at the 

 edges, generally fmooth, dotted with little 

 glands; the foot-ftalks furniihed with long 

 hairs, fig. 1,2. 



FLOWERS placed in whirls on the tops of the ftalks, 

 and forming fmall roundiih heads. 



CALYX : a Perianthium of one leaf, tubular, ftriated, 

 the mouth clofed up with hairs, fig. 9, divided 

 into two lips ; the uppefmoft having three 

 teeth which bend back ; the lowermoft two, 

 much longer, narrower, and edged with hairs, 



fig- 3> 4, 5- 



COROLLA monopetalous : the Tube the length of 

 the Calyx ; the upper lip turning back, notch- 

 ed in and blunt ; the lowermoft longer, divi- 

 ded into three fegments, the fegments obtufe, 

 the middle one longeft, fig. 6. 



STAMINA : four Filaments of unequal lengths : 

 Anthers very minute,^. 7. 



PISTILLUM : Germen dividing into four parts ; 

 Style longer than the Corolla, and turning 

 upwards ; Stigma bifid and pointed, fig. 8. 

 ? SEEDS four, fmall, roundiih, of a brown colour, 

 * fig. 10, 11. 



FEW Plants are fubjecl to fo many varieties as the Wild *fhyme. In its molt natural ftatej when found 

 on dry expofed Downs, it is fmall and procumbent : when growing among Furze or other plants, which afford 

 it fhelter, it runs up with a (lender ftalk to a foot or more in height, and aflumes an appearance which might 

 puzzle the young Botanifl. It differs alfo very much in the fmooth nefs and hairinefs of its leaves : and there 

 is a lingular variety of it, remarked by Linnjeus, with woolly heads, (Capitulis tomentops) which are the nidus 

 of fome Infect. We have feen whole banks covered with this turgid variety. The Veronica Chameedrys, Glechoma 

 hederacea, Valeriana Loctpa, and other plants, are frequently diftorted, and appear under the fame difguife 

 from a fimilar caufe. 



On dry chalky Downs the Wild *thyme abounds all over England ; flowering in July and Auguft. 



It has been a received opinion, that Thyme and other aromatic herbs, give a flavour to the flefh of Sheep 

 that feed where thefe plants are found : but curious obfervers have remarked, that Sheep neither eat Thyme 

 nor any other aromatic herb when they have a free choice of pafturage.* 



The Antients planted Thyme for the fake of their Bees, who colled Honey very largely from it ; which 

 at that period was of more value than at prefent : the cultivation of Sugar in the Weft India Iflands, has 

 contributed much to reduce its confequence in domeftic ceconomy. 



Theophrastus relates, that 'Thyme produced no feed that could be difcovered ; but that the plant might 

 be encreafed by fowing its flowers. Pliny copies this paffage from Theophrastus ; and inftead of doubting 

 the fact, remarks " quid non tent 'aver -e homines?" What experiments have not mankind tried? The credulity of 

 the Antients is very wonderful ! Whatever one Author advanced, the next took for granted, to the great de- 

 triment of natural hiftory. — Inveftigation was never thought of ! 



Dr. Armstrong, in his elegant and claffical poem on health, recommends the foil where this plant 

 (Thyme or Marjoram) abounds, as particularly healthful and proper for habitations* 



Mark where the dry Champaign 



" Swells into chearful hills ; where Marjoram 

 " And Thyme, the love of Bees, perfume the Air. 

 " There bid thy roofs , high on the bajking fieep 

 11 Afcend : there light thy hojpi table fires". 



ee account of Sheep-walks in Spain, Gent. Mag. 1764. 



