Thymiae

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The thymians (thymus, from ancient Greek θύμον thýmon, which may mean "incense" (from θύω - "(religious) smoke") or is also of pre-Greek origin) or quendel are a plant genus within the family of lip flower plants (Lamiaceae). Some species and their varieties are medicinal and spice plants, the most famous being the True Thyme (Thymus vulgaris). Sand thyme (Thymus serpyllum), lemon thyme (Thymus ×citriodorus) and broad-leaved thyme (Thymus pulegioides) are also important in Western culture and herbal medicine. The Saturei thyme (Thymus satureioides) has a strict taste unlike other thyme and is therefore rather unsuitable as a spice. Instead, it is used to produce oils. The genus Thymus does not include the closely related headed thyme (Thymbra capitata).

Description

Vegetative characteristics
Thyme species are perennial half-bushes or shrubs. Occasionally, they appear to be herbaceous, but are wooded at least at the base. They grow upright to lying down, are occasionally lawn-forming and rooting on the stems. The stems can be haired all around or else have hair on only two opposite sides or on the edges.

The foliage leaves are simple and full-edged or occasionally toothed. Often the edges are bent over. The hairiness of the leaves is very variable within the genus, they can be completely hairless up to completely hairy.

Flowers and flowers
The inflorescences are composed in an ear-like manner and are drawn apart in a seemingly innate manner or can be head-shaped. They contain supporting leaves which can either be of the same shape as the foliage leaves or else have very different shapes. The flowers can be stalked or sedentary, usually they are accompanied by small foreleaves that stand at the base of the flower stalk.

The twisty flowers are zygomorphic and five-fold with a double flower shell. The chalice is more or less bell-shaped or cylindrical, usually traversed by ten veins and clearly two-lipped, with both lips sometimes being almost uniform. The upper lip is set with three triangular teeth, but sometimes reduced to a single tooth. The two long triangular teeth of the lower lip can be bent upwards or spread apart. The calyx is bearded hairy. The crown is more or less tubular and divided into two lips, which can sometimes be almost uniform. The crown tube is sometimes very long and can then grow up to 20 mm long. The crown fringe is divided into four lobes. The color of the crown can be white, cream, pink or violet, often there are translucent points in the crown throat or at the base of the crown lobes. The upper lip is more or less rounded, booked and straight. The lower lip and the lateral lobes