DIDYNAMIA. GYMNOSPERMIA. Thymus. 719 
with short fine hairs, and minute white shining globules. Blossoms pale 
red, hairy; the middle segment rather longer than the rest. Stamens as 
long, or longer than the blossom, but in some specimens they are shorter, 
and then the anthers appear to be destitute of pollen. 
Var. 2. Leaves egg-spear-shaped. 
Lob. Obs. 264*. 2 —Ic. i. 494. 2— Ger. Efn. 664. 2— Park. 12. 4— H. Ox. xi. 
3. 9. 
Commonly cultivated in gardens, and erroneously supposed to be O. Onites 
of Linnaeus; can scarcely be esteemed a native of Britain. E.) 
Winter Marjoram. Wild or Field Marjoram. (Welsh: Meswuad 
cyffredin; Penrudd. E.) Thickets and hedges, in calcareous soil. 
Catton, near Norwich. Mr. Woodward. In a wood near Cartmell Wells. 
Mr. Atkinson. Clapham, Yorkshire. Mr. Caley. (In Anglesey. Welsh 
Bot. Banks of the Water of Leith. Mr. Neill. Grev. Edin. Plentiful by 
the road side approaching Clevedon from Bristol, within a short distance 
of the former place. In the lanes, and on the banks of the river, about 
Teignmouth. Frequent by the road side about Mirables, and Under- 
cliff, Isle of Wight. On chalky soil in the neighbourhood of Dover. 
E.) P. July—Aug.* 
THY'MUS.f Calyx bilabiate, mouth closed with soft hairs. 
T. serpyl/lum Flowers in small heads: stems decumbent: leaves 
flat, blunt, ovate, entire, fringed at the base. 
Kniph. 6— (FI. Dan. 1164— E. Bot. 1514. E.)— Ludw. 121— Vaill. 32. 9 
and 7— Curt.-^-Clus. i. 359. 1— Dod. 277. 1— -Lob. Obs. 230. 2, and Ic. i. 
423.2— Ger. Em. 570. 1— Park. 8. 10— Pet. 31. 1— II. Ox. xi. 17, row 1. 
1— Fuchs. 251— J.B. iii. 269— Blackw. 418— Matth. 725— Riv. Mon. 42. 
2, Serpyll.fi. minore .— Ger. 455. 1 and 2— Lonic. i. 119. 1. 
Filaments of different lengths. Stems woody, nearly cylindrical, often red¬ 
dish, slender, three or four inches long: more when drawn up by other 
plants. Leaves oblong-egg-shaped, very entire, with hollow dots on both 
surfaces, fringed at the base with a few fine white hairs. Calyx coloured 
with a circle of white hairs round the inside at the base of the segments, 
which, while the plant is in flower, lie flat to the sides of the calyx, but 
when the blossom falls off close up its mouth. Blossom purplish red, 
(small, middle segment entire. E.) 
Mother of Thyme. Wild Thyme. (Welsh: Gruwlys gwyllt. Gaelic: 
Lus-mhic-ri-Breatuinn. E.) Heaths and mountainous places. 
P. July-—Aug4 
* The whole plant is a warm aromatic. The dried leaves, used instead of tea, are 
exceedingly grateful, and a good stomachic ; the essential oil is so acrid, that it may be 
considered as a caustic, and is much used with that intention by farriers. (It is sometimes 
added to beer to render it more piquant, and to prevent its turning sour. E.) A little 
cotton wool moistened with it, and put into the hollow of an aching tooth, frequently 
relieves the pain. The tops dye purple. Goats and sheep eat it. Horses are not fond of 
it. Cows refuse it. 
+ (From to perfume; alluding to its fragrance, which induced its adoption in 
heathen rites. E.) 
+ The whole plant is fragran1,and yields an essential oil that is very heating. An 
infusion of the leaves removes the head-ach occasioned by excess. (It was among the 
wholesome herbs provided by Thestylis. Virg.Ec. 2. 
“ Allia, Serpillumque, herbas contundit dentes,” 
K 
VOL. Ill, 
