wild thyme

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• Breckland Garden
• Breckland Thyme
• Breckland Wild Thyme
• Breckland-garden
• creeping thyme
• mother-of-thyme
• wild thyme

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Serpyllum vulgare
• Origanum serpyllum

Regional and Traditional Names

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

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 and the family Lamiaceae, it is classified under the genus Thymus.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant, known as Thymus serpyllum, exhibits a specific distribution across several Northern European territories. Its presence is documented throughout the coastal and inland regions of Denmark. The species can also be found growing within the natural landscapes of Finland. Furthermore, it is a recognized part of the flora in Great Britain. Finally, its geographical range extends through the northern reaches of Norway and Sweden.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Thymus serpyllum is defined by its preference for specific substrate compositions and light availability, typically colonizing well-drained environments such as forest edges and sandy terrains. It thrives in habitats where the soil is composed of sand, which allows for the rapid drainage necessary to prevent root rot, while also occupying the transition zones of forest ecosystems where sunlight can penetrate the canopy. These sandy and forested niches provide a mosaic of microclimates that support its growth, often favoring areas with low competition from dense vegetation, allowing the plant to establish itself in open, sun-exposed patches within the broader forest structure.

Habitat :

forest, sand

Life history

The life history of Thymus serpyllum is characterized by its status as a perennial plant, allowing it to persist through multiple growing seasons. As a chamaephyte, its regenerative buds are located close to the soil surface, a life form that helps it withstand various environmental pressures. Furthermore, it maintains an evergreen habit, ensuring that its foliage remains functional and present throughout the year rather than shedding seasonally.

Deciduousness :

evergreen

Life form :

chamaephyte

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Thymus serpyllum is characterized by a low-growing, woody growth form, functioning primarily as a subshrub. It is a terrestrial, self-supporting plant that does not exhibit climbing or parasitic behaviors, growing instead as an independent organism. In terms of stature, it is a diminutive species with a plant height ranging from a minimum of 0.02 m to a maximum of 0.15 m, maintaining an average height of approximately 0.075 m. Its structural composition is distinctly woody, contributing to its stable, spreading habit across its natural habitat.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

shrub

Growth form :

subshrub

Parasite :

independent

Plant height max:

0.15 m

Plant height mean:

0.075 m

Plant height min:

0.02 m

Woodiness :

woody

Physiology

The physiology of Thymus serpyllum is characterized by a C3 photosynthetic pathway, which dictates its carbon fixation processes and metabolic efficiency. The plant exhibits a non-carnivorous nutritional strategy, relying on soil-based nutrient uptake rather than the capture of prey. Morphologically, its foliage is composed of small leaves with a mean leaf size of approximately 0.1044 cm². Furthermore, the plant possesses a mean Specific Leaf Area (SLA) of 170.2 cm²/g, a metric that reflects the relationship between its leaf area and its dry mass, providing insight into its leaf thickness and resource allocation strategies.

Carnivory :

non-carnivorous

Leaf size mean:

0.1044 cm²

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Specific Leaf Area (SLA) mean:

170.2 cm²/g

Reproduction

The reproduction of Thymus serpyllum is primarily a sexual process, as asexual reproduction is absent in this species. The flowering period typically begins in June and concludes in August, during which the plant relies on biotic pollination syndromes. Specifically, the plant is pollinated by insects, with bees serving as a key pollinator group. Interestingly, self-fertilization is noted to be absent, emphasizing the importance of these insect interactions for successful reproduction. Following pollination, the plant produces dry fruits. The resulting seeds are extremely minute, characterized by a mean seed mass of 0.000177 g (ranging from a minimum of 0.000168 g to a maximum of 0.0002 g) and a consistent seed volume of 0.12 mm³. Dispersal is achieved through an autochorous syndrome, meaning the seeds are dispersed by the plant's own mechanisms.

Dispersal syndrome :

autochorous

Flowering time :

Jun

Flowering time :

Aug

Fruit dryness :

dry

Pollination syndrome :

insect

Pollination syndrome :

bee

Pollination syndrome :

biotic

Reproduction asexual :

absent

Seed mass max:

2e-04 g

Seed mass mean:

0.000177 g

Seed mass min:

0.000168 g

Seed volume max:

0.12 mm³

Self fertilization :

absent

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Chemicals

Thymus serpyllum has 69 reported phytochemicals identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include THYMOL, P-CYMENE, Flavonoids, rosmarinic acid, Borneol.

THYMOL

1. Dr. Duke
2. Indian journal of pharmaceutical sciences
3. Scientific reports
4. Current pharmacology reports
5. Bioresource technology

P-CYMENE

1. Dr. Duke
2. Indian journal of pharmaceutical sciences
3. Foods (Basel, Switzerland)
4. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
5. Natural product communications

Flavonoids

1. Saudi pharmaceutical journal : SPJ : the official publication of the Saudi Pharmaceutical Society
2. Pakistan journal of pharmaceutical sciences
3. Parasites & vectors
4. Frontiers in nutrition

rosmarinic acid

1. Dr. Duke
2. Journal of biomaterials applications
3. Natural product research
4. Frontiers in nutrition

Borneol

1. Dr. Duke
2. TheScientificWorldJournal
3. Natural product communications

CADMIUM

1. Vojnosanitetski pregled
2. Food and chemical toxicology : an international journal published for the British Industrial Biological Research Association

Caryophyllene

1. Dr. Duke
2. Scientific reports

GAMMA-TERPINENE

1. Dr. Duke
2. Natural product communications

GERANIOL

1. Dr. Duke
2. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Germacrene D

1. Dr. Duke
2. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Activities

Thymus serpyllum has 381 reported activities identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antimicrobial, Anticancer, Antidiabetic, Antibacterial, Antihemolytic.

Antimicrobial

1. Frontiers in nutrition
2. Food science & nutrition
3. Journal of biomolecular structure & dynamics
4. Indian journal of pharmacology

Anticancer

1. Dr. Duke
2. Food science & nutrition
3. Indian journal of pharmacology

Antidiabetic

1. Dr. Duke
2. Food science & nutrition
3. Frontiers in nutrition

Antibacterial

1. Dr. Duke
2. Foods (Basel, Switzerland)

Antihemolytic

1. Dr. Duke
2. Biomedicine & pharmacotherapy = Biomedecine & pharmacotherapie

Antihypertensive

1. Dr. Duke
2. Frontiers in nutrition

Antioxidant

1. Dr. Duke
2. Food science & nutrition

(-)-Chronotropic

1. Dr. Duke

(-)-Inotropic

1. Dr. Duke

11B-HSD-Inhibitor

1. Dr. Duke

Conditions

Thymus serpyllum has 16 reported investigations on conditions identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported conditions include antidiabetic, COVID-19, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus.

Antidiabetic

1. Food science & nutrition
2. Frontiers in nutrition

Covid-19

1. Current pharmacology reports

Escherichia coli

1. Pakistan journal of pharmaceutical sciences

Pseudomonas aeruginosa

1. Pakistan journal of pharmaceutical sciences

Staphylococcus aureus

1. Pakistan journal of pharmaceutical sciences

Antihypertensive

1. Frontiers in nutrition

Antioxidant

1. Food science & nutrition

Breast cancer

1. Nutrition and cancer

Coccidiosis

1. Parasites & vectors

Infections

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Preparations

Thymus serpyllum has 13 reported preparations identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported preparations include essential oils, essential oil, extracts, Ether extract, H3.

Essential oils

1. Scientific reports
2. Journal of chemical ecology
3. Foods (Basel, Switzerland)
4. Fitoterapia
5. TheScientificWorldJournal

Essential oil

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
2. Journal of biomolecular structure & dynamics

Extracts

1. Frontiers in bioscience (Elite edition)
2. Frontiers in nutrition

Ether extract

1. Pakistan journal of pharmaceutical sciences

H3

1. Parasites & vectors

Aqueous extract

1. Pakistan journal of pharmaceutical sciences

Chloroformic extracts

1. Pakistan journal of pharmaceutical sciences

Crude powder

1. Pakistan journal of pharmaceutical sciences

Herbal teas

1. TheScientificWorldJournal

N-hexane extracts

1. Scientific reports