Mentha. | LVI. LABIATA. 349 
and the upper lobe of the corolla is more evidently notched, thus showing 
a slight approach to the characters of Thymus. 
In wet ditches, and marshy places, most abundant in the Mediterranean 
region, but extending over Europe and western Asia, and introduced into 
other parts of the world. Scattered over the greater part of England, 
Ireland, and the south of Scotland. FV. end of summer. 
IV. THYMUS. THYME. 
Low, much branched, spreading or procumbent undershrubs or herbs 
with small leaves, usually entire, and flowers in terminal leafy heads or 
loose spikes. Calyx 2-lipped; the upper lip 3-toothed, the lower 2-cleft, 
the mouth closed with hairs after flowering. Corolla with the upper lip 
erect, nearly flat; the lower spreading, broadly 3-lobed. Stamens (when 
perfect) 4, the lower ones diverging, as long as or longer than the corolla. 
The genus comprises several species, chiefly from the Mediterranean 
region and central Asia, where they are very variable and often difficult to 
determine. In northern Europe, however, there is but one species wild. 
The garden Thyme, so much cultivated asa potherb, is the 7. vulgaris, 
from southern Europe. 
1. T. Serpyllum, Linn, (fig. 786). Wild Thyme.—Stems procum- 
bent, slender, very much branched, perennial, and hard but scarcely woody 
at the base, forming low dense tufts, from a few inches to near a foot in 
diameter, and often almost covered with the purple flowers. Leaves very 
small, ovate or oblong, fringed at the base by a very few long hairs on each 
side; the floral leaves similar but smaller. Flowers usually 6 in the whorl, 
without any other bracts than the floral leaves, forming short, terminal, 
loose, leafy spikes. Calyx usually hairy, and the whole plant sometimes 
covered with short, rather stiff, hoary hairs. 
On banks, and dry, hilly pastures, throughout Europe and northern and 
central Asia. Very abundant in Britain. Fl. the whole summer. [There 
are two very distinct forms of the wld Thyme. 
a. I. Serpyllum proper. Flowering branches ascending from trailing 
shoots, whorls in one head, upper lip of corolla oblong. 
b. Z. Chamedrys, Fries. Branches all ascending from the rootstock, 
whorls in axillary heads, upper lip of corolla short broad. | 
V. ORIGANUM. MARJORAM. 
Herbs or undershrubs, with the flowers and principal characters of Thymus, 
but of taller growth, and especially differing in inflorescence. The flowers 
are in compact heads, with a bract under each flower at least as long as 
the calyx, the whole forming terminal corymbs or panicles. The calyx is 
also variable, in our species more regular than in Thymus, in some exotic 
ones quite as decidedly 2-lipped as in that genus, and the lips sometimes 
entire. 
Besides our common species, the ae number of Origanums are east 
‘Mediterranean, including the sweet Marjoram of our gardens. 
1, O. vulgare, Linn. (fig. 787). Wild Marjoram.—Rootstock perennial, 
shortly creeping ; the annual stems erect, 1 to 2 feet high, more or less 
hairy. Leaves stalked, ovate or ovate-lanceolate, an inch or more long, 
