Thymbra spicata
Spiked savoury
Thymbra spicata, commonly known as savory, is a fragrant perennial herb belonging to the Lamiaceae family. Native to the Mediterranean region, this aromatic plant is prized for its essential oils. It serves various roles in traditional medicine and culinary practices, offering potent antioxidant, antimicrobial, and digestive health benefits.
- Scientific name: Thymbra spicata
- Family: Lamiaceae
- Native range: Europe
Taxonomical Classification
This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta, falling under the class Equisetopsida and subclass Magnoliidae. Within the order Lamiales, it is classified under the family Lamiaceae and is identified by the genus Thymbra.
| Rank | Classification | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Kingdom | Plantae | WCVP |
| Phylum | Streptophyta | WCVP |
| Class | Equisetopsida | WCVP |
| Subclass | Magnoliidae | WCVP |
| Order | Lamiales | WCVP |
| Family | Lamiaceae | WCVP |
| Genus | Thymbra | WCVP |
Common Names
This plant, known by several different names depending on the language, is recognized as Spiked savoury in English and as Thymbra verticillata in German. In Hebrew, it is called צתרנית משובלת, while in Arabic, it is referred to by the names زعتر سبلة and زعتر حمار.| Language | Common Name | Source |
|---|---|---|
| he | צתרנית משובלת | Wikidata |
| ar | زعتر سبلة | Wikidata |
| de | Thymbra verticillata | Wikidata |
| en | Spiked savoury | Wikidata |
| ar | زعتر حمار | Wikidata |
Distribution
This plant is primarily found across several distinct regions ranging from Southeastern Europe to Western Asia. In Southeastern Europe, its presence is well-documented in Greece and the European portion of Türkiye. Moving into Western Asia, the species can be found throughout the East Aegean Islands. Its range further extends eastward into the territories of Iran. Finally, the distribution concludes within the geographical borders of Iraq.
| Region | Area | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Southeastern Europe | Greece | WCVP |
| Southeastern Europe | Türkiye-in-Europe | WCVP |
| Western Asia | East Aegean Is. | WCVP |
| Western Asia | Iran | WCVP |
| Western Asia | Iraq | WCVP |
| Western Asia | Lebanon-Syria | WCVP |
| Western Asia | Palestine | WCVP |
| Western Asia | Türkiye | WCVP |
Plant Parts
This plant, commonly known as wild thyme, is a fragrant herb where the leaves serve as the primary source of its medicinal properties. These small, aromatic leaves contain the essential oils and bioactive compounds responsible for the plant's therapeutic effects. When used in herbal remedies, the leaves are often harvested to provide antioxidant, antibacterial, and digestive benefits.- Total parts
- 1
- Scientific sources
- 1
| Plant Part | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| leaves | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Chemicals
Thymbra spicata has 2 reported phytochemicals identified across 3 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include Thymol, thymol.
- Total chemicals
- 2
- Scientific sources
- 3
Most Reported Compounds
| Compound | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| Thymol | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| thymol | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Activities
Thymbra spicata has 1 reported activities identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Angiogenic.
- Total activities
- 1
- Scientific sources
- 1
Most Reported Activities
| Activity | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| Angiogenic | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Medicinal Uses
Thymbra spicata has 4 reported medicinal uses identified across 4 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported uses include Campylobacter jejuni, Newcastle disease virus, gastrointestinal disorders, tumor.
- Total uses
- 4
- Scientific sources
- 4
Most Reported Uses
| Use | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| Campylobacter jejuni | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Newcastle disease virus | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| gastrointestinal disorders | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| tumor | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |